The Supreme Court in the case Kasthuri Ranga v. State Rep. By Addl. Superintendent Of Police CBI And Ors observed and has adjourned the appeal filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation, CBI wherein it challenged the discharge of Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and other accused in the SNC Lavalin Case to 12.09.2023.
The bench comprising of Justice Surya Kant and Justice Dipankar Datta in the case observed and has adjourned the hearing while following the request made on behalf of Additional Solicitor General SV Raju, who represents the CBI. Therefore, CBI seek for posting to the next week.
The counsel, Senior Advocate Harish Salve, appearing for Pinarayi Vijayan submitted before the court that he has some difficulty next week.
However, Justice Surya Kant will be the part of the Constitution Bench hearing in the Article 370 case in the month of August. The present case is related to the alleged corruption in the contract given to the Canadian company SNC Lavalin for the renovation of hydro-electric projects in Kerala, when Pinarayi Vijayan was the electricity minister in the year 1996-1998.
Therefore, the Special CBI Court at Thiruvanathapuram discharged Pinarayi Vijayan and few other officials who were charge sheeted in the case in November in the year 2013.
The Kerala High Court in the case observed and has upheld the discharge of Pinarayi Vijayan and the two other accused but allowed the plea moved by CBI against the discharge of 4 other accused in August 2017.
The Division bench comprising of Justice M R Shah and Justice C T Ravikumar was hearing the present matter. However, the bench headed by Justice C T Ravikumar, who being the former judge of the Kerala High Court, recused himself as he being part of the hearing before the Kerala High Court.
Accordingly, the court listed the matter to be next heard on September.
