Kerala High Court refuses to stay trial in Palmolien case

Kochi: Kerala High Court on Friday refused to consider a plea by former chief secretary Jiji Thomson seeking to stay the framing of charges initiated by the Thrissur Vigilance Special Court in the sensational Palmolien case.

Mr Thomson, who is now the advisor to the Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, moved the court seeking a directive to keep in abeyance all further proceedings in the case till disposal of Special Leave Petition by Supreme Court.

Justice P. Ubaid observed that the petition is practically an attempt to adjourn the case. The Thiruvananthapuram Vigilance Court had posted the case for framing of charges against the accused persons including Mr Thomson. The court observed that the petitioner can approach the Supreme Court or Vigilance court with the same plea.

The petitioner through Adv. S. Rajeev submitted that he had earlier filed a petition seeking to discharge from the case, but it was dismissed by the court and the High Court upheld the order. Now the matter is pending before the Supreme Court.

A petition by the state government challenging the High Court order which upheld the Vigilance court order dismissing state's decision to withdraw the prosecution is also pending before the apex court. Mr Thomson argued that when these petitions are pending before the Supreme Court, commencing the trial proceedings would cause irreparable damage to the petitioner.