The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has filed charge sheet against CPI (M) politburo member Pinarayi Vijayan in the multi-crore SNC Lavalin case. This is the first time a top Communist leader in the country is being prosecuted for graft charges.
The CBI filed the charge sheet at the Ernakulam court, arraigning Vijayan as the seventh accused in the case related to alleged irregularities involving Rs 374.5
crore in the award of contract for renovation and modernisation of Pallivasal, Sengulam and Panniyar hydro-electric projects to Canada-based SNC Lavalin in 1998 when he was the power minister.
The CBI filed the charge sheet after the state Governor gave his nod for prosecuting Vijayan. The CBI had sought the governor’s permission, as Vijayan had been a minister.
The governor had given the permission overruling the state government’s recommendation.
The prosecution issue had widened the rift within the CPI(M) state unit with the Chief Minister expressing his backing to the governor in the issue. Meanwhile his cabinet colleagues as well his party men have all come out against the governor for giving prosecution orders.
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