Lok Ayukta defers hearing in CMDRF misuse case

Thiruvananthapuram: Lok Ayukta full bench has postponed to June 10 the hearing of the CMDRF misappropriation case against chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan and his former cabinet colleagues, considering the plea of the petitioner.
The three-member bench of Lok Ayukta Justice Cyriac Joseph and Upa Lok Ayuktas Harun Ul-Rashid and Babu Mathew P Joseph considered the petition.
The petitioner R Sasikumar requested that the hearing be postponed to another day since the high court is about to consider a petition filed by him challenging the Lok Ayukta decision to refer the case to a three-member bench after the two-member bench completed the hearing in the case. The hearing in HC is scheduled on June 7.
The government counsel opposed the postponement of the hearing on the ground that the HC had refused to entertain the petitioner’s plea for a stay on the Lok Ayukta decision. tnn