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.
Showing posts with label prosecution. Show all posts
Showing posts with label prosecution. Show all posts
Thursday, 11 June 2009
Tuesday, 9 June 2009
CPI (M) leader faces prosecution; First communist to be prosecuted
A top CPI (M) leader in India faces prosecution in corruption case, the first time a communist leader and politburo member is facing prosecution in a multi-crore scam in India. Kerala state CPI (M) secretary has acquired the dubious distinction of being the first communist leader in history to be prosecuted in a corruption case.
Kerala governor R S Gavai had given the nod to the Central Bureau of Investigation to go ahead with the prosecution even after the state government had advised the governor against such a move. Three months ago, the CPI (M)’s Kerala unit, dominated by Vijayan’s men, had the state government to advise the governor against giving sanction for prosecution, despite Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan wanted the party secretary to face prosecution.
Vijayan has been charged with abuse of his position as electricity minister. The CBI had sought prosecution of Vijayan with regard to alleged corruption and irregularities in awarding contracts for renovation of three hydro-electric projects to Canadian company SNC-Lavalin when he was Power Minister in 1998.
A day after the governor gave the nod for the prosecution, the CPI (M) was up in arms against the governor and his high office. They termed the decision as “unfortunate” and termed it “politically motivated”. The party Politburo had said that they would fight the case both “politically and legally”.
The Kerala CPI (M) unit had called for a hartal soon after the governor’s decision but later changed the decision to observe a “black day”. The greatest paradox here is that the CPI (M) is a party, which had always stood against corruption and which had always initiated probes in many cases concerning the state. It is the same party that is now up in arms against the governor’s decision who had given the nod for prosecuting Vijayan, who is allegedly involve in corruption cases.
The question that comes up here is whether the CPI (M) should have observed a black day against the governor’s decision when it was fighting against corruption? Moreover, why is the CPI (M), which had always stood against corruption, afraid to face the court? If Vijayan was not involved in the SNC Lavalin corruption issue, why does he then fear prosecution?
Kerala governor R S Gavai had given the nod to the Central Bureau of Investigation to go ahead with the prosecution even after the state government had advised the governor against such a move. Three months ago, the CPI (M)’s Kerala unit, dominated by Vijayan’s men, had the state government to advise the governor against giving sanction for prosecution, despite Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan wanted the party secretary to face prosecution.
Vijayan has been charged with abuse of his position as electricity minister. The CBI had sought prosecution of Vijayan with regard to alleged corruption and irregularities in awarding contracts for renovation of three hydro-electric projects to Canadian company SNC-Lavalin when he was Power Minister in 1998.
A day after the governor gave the nod for the prosecution, the CPI (M) was up in arms against the governor and his high office. They termed the decision as “unfortunate” and termed it “politically motivated”. The party Politburo had said that they would fight the case both “politically and legally”.
The Kerala CPI (M) unit had called for a hartal soon after the governor’s decision but later changed the decision to observe a “black day”. The greatest paradox here is that the CPI (M) is a party, which had always stood against corruption and which had always initiated probes in many cases concerning the state. It is the same party that is now up in arms against the governor’s decision who had given the nod for prosecuting Vijayan, who is allegedly involve in corruption cases.
The question that comes up here is whether the CPI (M) should have observed a black day against the governor’s decision when it was fighting against corruption? Moreover, why is the CPI (M), which had always stood against corruption, afraid to face the court? If Vijayan was not involved in the SNC Lavalin corruption issue, why does he then fear prosecution?
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