Vijayan moves HC for splitting Lavalin case

CPI(M) Kerala Secretary, Pinarayi Vijayan, an accused in a case relating to award of a contract to a Canadian company in 1996 for renovation of three hydel projects when he was the Power Minister, today approached the High Court seeking to split the trial of the case.
According to the petitioner, the case was hanging like a 'Damocles sword' on his head. Delay in the trial was causing serious hardships to him, he submitted.
The petition will come up before the court tomorrow.
The case relates to the alleged irregularities in the award of contracts by the Kerala State Electricity Board to SNC Lavalin company for renovation of three hydel projects in the state in 1996, which had caused a loss of over Rs 375 crore to the state exchequer.

Earlier, the CBI special court at Thiruvananthapuram had turned down his request for splitting the case.
Vijayan contended that due to the non-appearance of Lavalin company and its Vice President, Claus Trendl, who are also accused, the case was being indefinitely delayed. Even in spite of arrest warrant issued by CBI court, the two accused did not appear, he submitted. On account of non-appearance of the two accused who are abroad the trial was getting delayed and causing lot of hardship to him,Vijayan contended.
Hence, the case should be split up as against the two accused and trial should be proceeded against available accused.