Former Kerala minister to stand trial on corruption charges

The court, on March 18, had rejected the petition filed by the first and the third accused who sought their discharge.

According to the chargesheet, Balakrishna Pillai and the two other accused had entered into a conspiracy and diverted 16 million units of power worth Rs 19 lakh to the Bangalore-based Messrs Graphite India Limited from June 1985 to April 1986 when there was power shortage in Kerala. This action, done without the prior consent of the government and against the electricity rules, had caused undue pecuniary benefits to Graphite India.

The chargesheet accused Balakrishna Pillai of having misused his position when he was minister to get benefit for another.

Pillai told newsmen at the court premises, "It is politically-motivated harassment. Finally, the court will give me justice."

He said he was planning to move the Kerala High Court against the new chargesheet.

The chargesheeting of Balakrishna Pillai, at present a member of the State Assembly, in the Graphite Case II came within four months after he was convicted by a special court in Ernakulam on charges of financial irregularities in the construction of a tunnel and surge shaft of the Edmalayar Hydro-Electric Project when he was electricity minister.

On November 10, 1999, the special court had sentenced Pillai and three others in the Edamalayar case to five years imprisonment. His appeal against the conviction was now pending before the High Court.

Pillai was also sentenced to one year imprisonment in the Graphite Case I three-and-a-half years ago. The appeal against this is also pending before the High Court.