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CPI-M Kerala secretary Vijayan granted bail in graft case
CPI(M) Kerala secretary Pinarayi Vijayan, listed as an accused in the Rs 100 crore graft case, got a temporary reprieve with a CBI special court granting him bail.
CPI(M) Kerala secretary Pinarayi Vijayan, listed as an accused in the Rs 100 crore graft case relating to awarding of contract to a Canadian firm during his tenure as Power Minister in 1998, on Wednesday got a temporary reprieve with a CBI special court granting him bail.
CBI, which is probing the case, meanwhile, sought dismissal of his petition seeking direction to question Defence Minister AK Antony in the case.
Judge KP Jothindranath, presiding over the court, granted bail to Vijayan on his furnishing a bond of Rs two lakh and two sureties for the like amount.
The court also granted bail to second accused K Rajasekharan Nair, former member of the Kerala State Electricity board (KSEB) after he furnished a bond of Rs two lakh and two sureties for the like amount.
A huge crowd of media personnel and security personnel were posted at the court complex since early today. Vijayan, who arrived at the court with a host of party leaders, did not respond to queries from waiting reporters.
CBI had filed chargesheet listing Vijayan as the seventh accused in the case relating to alleged corruption in the award of contract to the Canadian company SNC Lavalin for renovation of three hydel projects in 1998.
When the case came up on Wednesday, the CBI objected to the petition filed by Vijayan, on Sept 24, seeking a direction to the investigating agency to question Antony.
Senior CBI Special Prosecutor, VN Anil Kumar, said that Vijayan even without appearing before the court wanted it to give direction to CBI to question 'certain witnesses and collect evidence' as directed by him.
