SC rejects Achuthanandan's plea in palmolein case

In his plea, he wanted further probe into palmolein import scam case

The Supreme Court on Monday disposed of a plea submitted by V S Achuthanandan, opposition leader of Kerala Assembly, seeking inclusion of Chief Minister Oommen Chandy in the list of the accused in the Palmolein case. However, the court maintained that there will not be any legal hurdle to include Chandy as an accused if any evidence is found against him during the trial in the case.

The court also said that its earlier remark, that Achuthanandan was trying to make political gains with the case, should not affect the probe. The Supreme Court had earlier criticised Achuthanandan in connection with the case with the remark that the CPI (M) leader was fishing in muddy waters. The court had observed that it was not right to keep on dragging the case on end with a motive to make political gains.

The court even warned to take action against him for wasting the time of the court. The former Kerala chief minister submitted his explanation before the court in the wake of its criticism of his intentions. In his explanation, he said that the apex court had granted him permission to join as party to the petitioners in the case way back in 2006. There has been no probe into Chief Minister Oommen Chandy's role in the case, Achuthanandan noted and submitted five additional evidences related to the case in the court.

The case, which is related to alleged conspiracy in the import of Palmolein under the counter trade system/rupee clearance scheme that was in effect at the time, had rocked the state in 1991. Chandy was the Finance Minister of the state during the period in question.