Kochi: The CBI on Saturday told a special court
that it might be "improper" to conduct further probe against
CPI(M) state secretary and former minister Pinarayi Vijayan in
a graft case.
Vijayan is listed as the seventh accused in the case
relating to award of contracts to renovate three hydel
projects to Canadian firm SNC-Lavalin in 1998 when he was the
power minister.
The investigating agency had filed a chargesheet against
Vijayan in the case.
The CPI(M) leader had filed a petition before the Supreme
Court challenging even the authority and competence of the
Kerala Governor in granting sanction under Section 197 CrPC to
prosecute him and it was pending before the Apex Court, the
CBI said.
"It is therefore submitted that it may also be improper
on the part of the prosecution to conduct further
investigation against Vijayan at this stage which may cause an
apprehension regarding the impartial and unbiased
investigation carried out in this case by CBI," the probe
agency said in a counter affidavit filed on a petition by
`Crime` Editor T P Nandakumar.
The allegations pertain to "showing undue favour" to
Lavalin in the awarding of renovation and modernisation
contracts of Pallivasal, Sengulum and Panniar hydel projects.
On further investigation against former Congress leader
and UDF minister G Karthikeyan, CBI said it was in the final
stages and the report would be submitted to the court.
The petitioner`s contention that vital aspects in the
case were omitted during investigation by CBI was far from
truth, the agency said.
PTI
