Kerala govt not to prosecute Vijayan in Lavlain case

Thiruvananthapuram, May 6 (PTI) The LDF-led Kerala
government Wednesday accepted the Advocate General's advice
against granting permission to prosecute former minister and
Communist Party of India (Marxist) state secretary Pinarayi
Vijayan in the SNC Lavlain corruption case.

According to Left Democratic Front (LDF) sources, the
cabinet formulated its view in the matter based on the opinion
given last week by AG Sudhakaran Prasad that there was no firm
ground to prosecute Vijayan.

Meanwhile, Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF)
Wednesday called a strike Thursday in protest against the
government decision.

After the cabinet meeting Wednesday, Chief Minister V S
Achuthanandan told reporters that the government had formed
its opinion on the issue and the governor would be informed of
it. He, however, declined to reveal the content of the
communication to be sent to the governor.

"We have taken our decision on the issue. But I don't
intend to share it with media," Achuthanandan said.

Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which investigated
the case, sought the permission of Governor R S Gavai to
prosecute Vijayan and two officials. CBI sought to arraign the
former minister as ninth accused.

The politically-sensitive case pertained to alleged
corruption in awarding contract to Canadian firm SNC Lavalin
for renovation of three hydro power stations when Vijayan was
power minister in 1997.

CBI said it found ground for prosecuting Vijayan stating
that he was involved in a conspiracy with others for clinching
the deal which resulted in a big loss to the state.

The Lavalin scandal surfaced with Comptroller and Auditor
General in 2005 finding that the expenditure to the tune of
Rs 474.50 crore incurred for renovation of the three power
stations did not yield the commensurate benefit to the state.

It was also pointed out that the state did not receive
Rs 89.93 crore out of the Rs 100 crore promised by the company
to be arranged through the Canadian donor agencies for the
Malabar Cancer Centre in Thalassery in Vijayan's home district

Apart from the Congress-led UDF using it as a political
tool against LDF, the long-drawn Lavalin case had its
ramifications in the internal tussles in the CPI(M) as well
with Achuthanantan seizing it as a weapon against Vijayan.

In open defiance of the party's official line that
Vijayan was implicated in the case by CBI with political
considerations, Achuthanandan has refused to utter a single
word in defence of his estranged colleague.

Even after the AG gave his report, much to the elation of
the Vijayan and his supporters, Achuthanandan had reportedly
made his dissenting voice in party forum against accepting the
AG's opinion without a fresh round of discussion in the party
polit bureau.

Opposition leader Oommen Chandy had urged Achuthanandan
to reject the AG's report, paving way for Vijayan to stand
trial and prove his innocence, if he was not involved in any
corrupt deal. PTI NM