New Delhi/Thiruvananthapuram: The Supreme Court on Thursday adjourned the hearing in the SNS-Lavlin case appeals against the discharge of Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.
As Chief Justice UU Lalit has very few working days left before his retirement on November 8, the case was adjourned to a date six weeks later.
CBI wants Pinarayi to face trial. A bench comprising Lalit and Justice Bela M Trivedi is considering the petitions.
Four senior lawyers, including Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, are appearing for the CBI. After the notice was sent in January 2018, the case was moved for the 32nd time.
The CBI approached the apex court against the 2017 High Court verdict that acquitted Pinarayi, then energy secretary K Mohanachandran and former joint secretary A Francis.
SC has asked the CBI to provide clear reasons if the judgement is to be quashed. The CBI contends that the state electricity board (KSEB) suffered heavy losses due to the deal with the Canadian conglomerate. The CBI has also clarified that the change from a consultancy contract to a supply contract benefited the Lavlin company.
In the case in which Pinarayi and others were acquitted, the High Court ruled that KG Rajasekharan Nair, former financial advisor of the Electricity Board, R Sivadasan, former chairman of the board, and Kasthuriranga Iyer, former chief engineer, should face trial.