SC warns Achuthanandan over using courts for political agenda

The Supreme Court Monday frowned at former Kerala chief minister V.S. Achuthanandan for using judicial forums to drag on his fight against his political rivals.

The court warned of imposing exemplary costs if it found that the matter being raised before it was devoid of merits and he was using judicial forums for political agenda.

"Have you made any allegation of corruption against the present chief minister (Oommen Chandy of Kerala)? You are not taking any responsibility. Are you fishing in troubled water?" said the apex court bench of Justice T.S. Thakur and Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel as Achuthanandan's counsel sought the adjournment of the hearing.

Asking Achuthanandan's counsel if his client was ready to file an affidavit alleging corruption against Chandy, the court said it would impose heavy costs if it found him to be using judicial forums for political agenda.

Achuthanandan's counsel wanted to take instruction on this count.

Noting that Achuthanandan was a former chief minister and the present leader of opposition in the Kerala assembly, the court said, "You will not let this issue rest. You want this matter in press. You want to keep it alive. You want to take political mileage."

Noting that even the Kerala High Court had said that Achuthanandan was only dragging on the matter, the court said: "High court says that you are only dragging on. You get political mileage in keeping the issue alive."

Giving Achuthanandan's lawyer two weeks' time to place before it the judgment of the high court which was pronounced Jan 30, the court said: "You argue it on next date. We will not allow you to drag it. We will not allow you to use judicial forums for settling political scores."

Having said this, court made it clear that if it was not persuaded about the contention for further investigation in the palm oil import scam being sought by CPI-M leader Achuthanandan, it would impose a "heavy cost".

Achuthanandan's counsel wanted to place before the apex court the Kerala High Court judgment rejecting Achuthanandan's plea challenging the Kerala government order of Sep 13, 2013, withdrawing prosecution in the alleged corruption in import of palmolein oil during 1991-92.

While dismissing Achuthanandan's plea, the high court held that since the application for the withdrawal of prosecution by the state government had already been declined by the vigilence court and the same order had been upheld by the high court Jan 8, the Kerala government order of Sep 13, 2013, for withdrawing prosecution in palm oil case was of no consequence.

The case relates to import of palm oil during 1991-92 at "inflated" price by the then Congress government headed by late K. Karunakaran, from a Malaysian firm, allegedly causing a loss of Rs. 2.33 crore to the state exchequer. Chandy was then finance minister.