Ker Govt files petition to withdraw palmolein case

In accordance with its cabinet decision, Kerala government today filed a petition in a Vigilance Court seeking to withdraw the two-decade old palmolein case.
Former Chief Minister late K Karunakaran and former Central Vigilance Commissioner P J Thomas and Sports Authority of India Director General Jiji Thomson were among the eight accused in the case.
The petition filed at the Vigilance Court, here where the case was pending, sought the withdrawal of prosecution proceedings against all the accused. The court posted the case to October 26.
Congress led UDF government had taken a decision to withdraw the case holding that the import of palmolein did not cause any loss to the exchequer or anyone made unlawful gain out it.

Former Civil Supplies Minister T H Musthaffa was also accused in the case.
The case pertained to alleged corruption in import of palmolein through a firm in Singapore when Karunakaran was Chief Minister in 1992. Thomas was Civil Supplies Commissioner and Thomsan M D of the state Civil Supplies Corporation.

The case had haunted Karunakaran during his last stint as Chief Minister with the opposition as well as rivals in the Congress seizing on the issue to run him down.
Thomas, had to step down as CVC two years back in the backdrop of the case.
The vigilance inquiry into the deal was ordered by the LDF ministry led by E K Nayanr in 1999.