New Delhi, Jan 11: On Central Bureau of Investgation’s (CBI) plea, the Supreme court has issued notice to Chief Minister of Kerala, Pinarayi Vijayan in SNC-Lavalin corruption case on Thursday.

Vijayan along with six others executives of the Kerala Electricity Board (KSEB) are accused of hatching a criminal conspiracy while he was serving as the electricity minister from May 1996 to October 1998.

He, along with others named in the case, was accused of awarding the contract for the renovation and modernisation of few hydroelectric projects to a Canada-based company SNC-Lavalin at exorbitant rates, thereby causing a loss of Rs. 374.50 crore to the state.

The Kerala High Court gave a clean chit to the Chief Minister over lack of evidence against him, but the CBI challenged his discharge by moving the case to apex court.