Congress demands Advocate-General's expulsion

Kozhikode, Nov 22 (UNI) The Congress in Kerala today demanded expulsion of the state Advocate General for filing an ''inappropriate'' affidavit in the Kerala High Court regarding the SNC Lavalin case.

Talking to newspersons here, party spokesperson M M Hassan said Advocate General C P Sudhakara Prasad had no right to continue in office as he had ''violated Constitutional norms'' by filing the affidavit, without the knowledge of the Chief Minister, stating that the government was not interested to pursue the case relating to wastage of public money in three power projects awarded to Canadian firm SNC Lavalin.

''It appeared from the remarks made by Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan that he was not aware of the affidavit,'' and hence Mr Prasad should step down from the post for ignorning the highest Constitutional authority in the state.

He said Mr Prasad had filed the affidavit, on behalf of the government in reply to a review petition filed by the CBI that it was not prepared to take over the case as the Vigilance Department was already on the job.

Citing KPCC president Ramesh Chennithala's charge that the government was not interested to pursue the case relating to the loss of Rs 374 crore to the state exchequer in connection with the Pallivasal, Panniar and Senkulam projects awarded to the firm, he said the affidafit had vindicated his party's stance on the issue.

Referring to the statements of CPI(M) General Secretary Prakash Karat and Mr Achuthanandan that they were prepared to face any probe, he said in fact the latest move had exposed their ''real face''.

UNI PCH1815