CBI submits case diary on SNC Lavalin case to Kerala HC

Kochi, Sep 22 (UNI) The CBI today submitted the case diary in the Rs 374.50 crore SNC Lavalin power-scam case to the Kerala High court.

The CBI officials submitted the case diary in a sealed cover directly to the registrar-general this morning, agency's counsel MVS Namboodiri informed a division bench comprising Chief Justice H L Dattu and Justice A K Basheer.

He also added that as per the direction of the High court, the CBI had brought the entire case documents to Kochi. While submitting that the records were voluminous and ''cartful'', the counsel expressed willingness to produce them as and when required.

The division bench, however, directed orally that the documents be retained at the CBI Kochi office itself.

The court, while considering an application by the CBI officials seeking six months' time to complete the investigation into the SNC Lavalin case, had expressed dissatisfaction with the probe and directed the agency to produce the entire case records.

The court will consider the application tomorrow.

The case relates to the losses of Rs 374.50 crore allgedly suffered by the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) in its 1995-96 award of a contract to Canadian firm SNC Lavalin to revamp three hydel power projects in the state. This was done at a time when the present Kerala state CPI-M Secretary Pinarayi Vijayan was the power minister.

UNI XR ARC MIR BST1858