The Kerala Government has decided to approach the Advocate-General AG on the Governors letter seeking its view on the CBI request to prosecute CPIM Politburo member Pinarayi Vijayan in the SNC-Lavalin scam. Vijayan was the power minister when the controversial deal was inked with the Canadian firm. The Government has also been asked to take a decision on prosecuting two retired officials named in the case.
Emerging out of the weekly Cabinet meeting,Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan said his Cabinet did not discuss the matter and has referred it to the Advocate-General.
Advocate-General C P Sudakar Prasad told The Indian Express that he was yet to get any official communication in this regard. I would seek necessary time for giving the report only after going through the documents, he said.
Next Monday,the Advocate-General would have to explain the Governments stand in the High Court,where a petition,seeking a court directive that prior sanction was not required to prosecute the accused,is pending. The court had asked the AG and the accused to file affidavits and counter affidavits,respectively,in the case.
As the High Court is also hearing the issue of prosecution,the Government would find it difficult to delay the sanction on political grounds. Though the Governor has not set any deadline for obtaining the Cabinet advice,the High Court is unlikely to be kind towards the Government,especially since the case was probed by the CBI on the courts directive.
Meanwhile,Pinarayi Vijayan sent a strong message to his rival Achuthanandan,saying all those who are in the party would participate in his ongoing Kerala Yatra,a pre-election political tour across the state. Vijayan said his yatra was being held as per the decision of the party central committee and the state committee. All those who are in the party have to take part,he said,in a veiled attack on the CM,who has said that he would not address the yatra.
The party is united in addressing the Lavalin issue. It is heard that VS had communicated certain matters to the party central leadership. Politburo would handle his issues, he said.
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On the other hand,the CMs war cry in New Delhi on Tuesday has boosted the morale of his camp. His sympathisers were confused about the next course of action. His open message to the party leadership and workers has reinforced that he would not comprise on the case, said a leader from the VS camp. However,the more powerful official faction is exerting pressure on the central leadership to crack the whip on VS,who has openly defied the party stand.
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