Ker Govt informs High Court of blacklisting of SNC Lavalin

Kerala Government apprised the High Court today of its decision to blacklist the Canadian firm SNC Lavalin, involved in a controversial deal regarding renovation of three power stations in the state during the 1990s.
The Governments told the Court that necessary direction had been issued to Kerala State Electricity Board in this regard.
Recording the assurance of the Government, a Division Bench consisting of Chief Justice Manjula Chellur and Justice A M Shafeeq closed the proceedings in a PIL filed by one K R Unnithan.
According to the petitioner the Company has caused a huge loss to the state exchequer and their activities in the state need to be prevented.

The CBI had earlier this week filed a revision petition in the High Court challenging the decision of a special CBI court discharging CPI(M) leader Pinarayi Vijayan, who was the Power Minister when the deal was clinched, and six others in a graft case concerning the awarding of the contract.
The CBI's case was that Vijayan, who was Power Minister in 1996, had full knowledge about the clandestine dealings that the accused had with the Canadian firm SNC Lavalin while awarding contract for renovation of three power stations in the state.