Lavalin graft case: SC defers till April 6 CBI plea against acquittal of Pinarayi Vijayan
New Delhi, Feb 23 : The Supreme Court on Tuesday adjourned the hearing of the Central Bureau of Investigation’s (CBI) plea challenging the acquittal of Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in the Lavalin graft case till April 6.
The case pertains to allegations of corruption and causing a loss of Rs 374.50 crore to the State Exchequer in awarding of a contract to Canadian firm SNC-Lavalin, when Vijayan was the Power Minister.
Additional Solicitor General S V Raju, appearing for the CBI, sought adjournment in the matter, saying, “I am engaged in a part heard matter in another court. Please have it next week.”
To which, a bench headed by Justice Uday Umesh Lalit deferred the matter to April 6.
The CBI had moved the Apex Court after, the Kerala High Court on August 23, 2017, upheld the acquittal of Vijayan in the case, saying the investigative agency had “wrongly picked” him as prima facie, there was no case against him.
UNI.