CBI says no need for it to probe SNC Lavalin deal case

Kochi, Nov 16 (UNI) The CBI today informed the Kerala High Court that the agency had intimated the Centre that there was no need for it to probe the SNC Lavalin deal corruption case as the state Vigilance and anti-Corruption Bureau was already investigating the matter.

The CBI today filed a review petition in the High Court against the court's order earlier this month, in which it had observed that the CBI had already taken over the case and the investigation was progressing.

The court made these observations while dismissing a contempt of court petition filed against CBI Director Vijay Shankar for not commencing investigations into the case.

Seeking a correction of this observation in the court's order, the CBI submitted in its review petition that the Central Department of Personnel and Training had on April 25, sought its opinion about the feasibility of taking over the investigation into the case.

The CBI had informed the department on July 18 that as the Kerala Vigilance and anti-Corruption Bureau was already looking into the matter, there was no need for the agency to take over the investigation.

The CBI informed the court that no notification had been issued by the Central government to enable it to take over the investigation.

It also submitted that there was no specific direction from the Kerala High Court to take over the investigation into the matter.

The case pertained to an alleged loss of Rs 374 crore to the Kerala government in the award of a contract for modernisation of the Pallivasal, Sengulam and Panniyar Hydro-electric Projects and extension work of the Kuttiyadi Irrigation Project, to the Canada-based company, SNC Lavalin, during the previous tenure of the LDF Government.

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