Kerala High Court agrees on salve contentions

Kochi: Mr Harish Salve, who appeared for Mr Pinarayi Vijayan in the Lavalin case, had argued that the minister was not responsible for the ill-deeds of the bureaucrats. The court has apparently agreed with the contention, cleared Mr Vijayan  and sent the officials for trial.  Mr Salve had termed the chargesheet as 'fancy-sounding.’ 

Mr Salve contended that Mr  Vijayan had  not in any manner personally benefited from the deal. He said the CBI had adopted a pick-and-choose method to build up a case against  Mr Vijayan which the court mentioned in the judgment. There was  absolutely no material to suggest conspiracy in the chargesheet filed against Mr  Vijayan, Mr Salve said. 

The procedures followed in the execution of the Lavalin contract were  based on the terms of international contracts.  The CBI manufactured the case by suppressing documents pertaining to the execution of the contract, he told the High Court.  

To constitute either conspiracy or dishonest intention on the part of  Mr Vijayan, an active knowledge about the commission of offence and voluntary participation was necessary, he said. 

CBI may file appeal in Supreme Court
The CBI demanded a trial in its review petition.  Sources claimed that a final decision on filing an appeal before the apex court would be taken in the coming days.  The High Court, in its verdict, had criticised  the CBI for picking  Mr Pinarayi Vijayan in the Lavalin case.