Lavalin, Muthoot cases put Kerala Left in a spot

9 Sep 2009, ET Bureau

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala’s ruling Left Democratic Front came under more opposition fire today in the state assembly, with the Congress-led United Democratic Front targeting CPM state secretary Pinarayi Vijayan for allegedly getting hold of some cabinet documents.

The opposition walked out of the assembly alleging that Vijayan had used those documents in support of a case against him that is currently being heard in the Supreme Court.

Vijayan is one of the accused in the SNC Lavalin case that relates to alleged corruption in handing contracts to the Canadian company, worth Rs 374 crore, and the opposition is alleging that he took some crucial cabinet documents to fight his case in the Supreme Court. The contracts given to the Canadian company were for renovation of three hydro-electric projects in the state when Vijayan was state power minister.

Chief minister VS Achuthanandan denied the allegation, stating that the documents were given to Vijayan as per the rules and on the basis of an application filed by him under the Right to Information Act.

Vijayan is presently challenging the state governor’s decision to sanction his prosecution, and has used some documents pertaining to cabinet decisions to support his case.

Opposition leader Oommen Chandy and Kerala Congress (M) leader KM Mani said it was wrong precedence to provide cabinet decisions on a request through the RTI. When the speaker rejected the opposition demand for an adjournment motion on the matter, the opposition staged a walkout.

On Tuesday, the opposition had alleged police-criminal nexus in the killing of Paul Muthoot George (32), executive director of the Muthoot group, and demanded the resignation of home minister and CPM politburo member Kodiyeri Balakrishnan.

The murder mystery took a bizarre turn on Monday when a blacksmith told a television channel that the knife that the police had ‘recovered’ from the home of the murder accused, had in fact been made by him on request by a circle inspector of police.