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Journalism of Courage
In a blow to the Congress ahead of the Kerala Assembly elections,the Vigilance and Enquiry Court here on Monday allowed the LDF governments plea to conduct further probe into the palmolein scandal.
The unstated target of the further probe would be Opposition leader Oommen Chandy,who was seen as the Congresss chief minister in waiting.
Last month,the government prosecutor had sought further probe into the scam,saying more persons were involved in the case.
Judge S Jagadhesh granted the petition,saying further probe was the liberty of the investigating agency and the formality involved in it was only intimating the court.
If the proposal for further investigation comes from the investigating officer then there is no question of their obtaining the permission of the court or the court granting permission…only a formal permission is necessary for the prosecution to proceed with further investigation, said the judge.
Since granting of sanction is only a formality,prosecution is at liberty to proceed…, said the judge.
Granting sanction,the judge set a three-month deadline for submitting the report.
However,the court did not take any names,in a relief for Chandy,who had been the finance minister in the Congress government that inked the oil deal in 1992.
Welcoming the probe,Chandy said he had informed the party what to do should he be named as an accused. Party chief Ramesh Chennithala also extended support to Chandy.
Meanwhile,in another setback to the Congress,a discharge petition was filed by the second accused in the palmolein case and senior party leader T H Musthafa. A rival of Chandy and civil supplies minister of the Congress government in 1992,Musthafa said when the file pertaining to the palmolein import came up,he had in writing suggested putting up the matter before the Cabinet. His suggestion,he said,was endorsed by Chandy.
The prosecution,which did not pick up any fault with Chandy,unjustifiably arraigned me as an accused, said Musthafas petition.
