Judge recuses from hearing plea against Vijayan's discharge

Justice K Harilal of Kerala High Court today recused himself from hearing a petition challenging the order of CBI Special Court in Thiruvananthapuram, discharging CPI(M) state secretary Pinarayi Vijayan and 6 others in the SNC Lavalin case.
The petition will be sent to Chief Justice Manjulla Chellur for further orders with regard to posting of the case.
The petitioner T P Nandakumar, Editor of 'Crime' magazine had approached the court seeking for interference in the order of the CBI special court.
According to the petitioner, the impugned order is "illegal and reflects wrong quotient of law. If allowed to stand, it would result in debunking public interest," the petitioner stated.

The CBI Special court had on November 5 discharged Vijayan, former power minster and 6 others from the alleged Rs 375 crore SNC Lavalin graft case.
It stated that the CBI had failed to establish the fraudulent intention, abuse of official position, criminal conspiracy and element of cheating in connection with the award of contract to Candaian company SNC Lavalin for renovating three hydel projects in the state.