Thiruvananthapuram: A vigilance court here on Saturday posted to October 23 the hearing on a corruption case pertaining to alleged irregularities in palmolein import by the Kerala government in 1992.
Recently appointed Central Vigilance Commissioner (CVC) P J Thomas also figures as an accused in the case, in which the then chief minister K Karunakaran is listed as first accused.
The import of palmolein through a Singapore-based firm allegedly caused the exchequer a loss of Rs 2.3 crore. Thomas, who was Food Secretary during the period, was granted bail by the court in 2003.
Counsel for the accused submitted that the Supreme Court stay on the case following a special leave petition by Karunakaran had not yet been vacated, after which the court
posted the case for further hearing on October 23.
Karunakaran had approached the apex court alleging that the case was politically motivated. The Oommen Chandy government had decided to withdraw the case, but did not inform the Court of its decision.
When the LDF came to power, the Achuthanandan government reversed the decision and impleaded itself in the case pending before the Supreme Court.
PTI
First Published: Saturday, September 25, 2010, 21:46