Pinarayi Vijayan must face trial says CBI

New Delhi, July 29: The Central Bureau of Investigation has told the Supreme Court that Kerala, Chief Minister, Pinarayi Vijayan should face trial in the Lavalin case. The CBI also said that the order discharging him in the case must be set aside.

The Supreme Court had in January stayed the trial and sought the CBI's response. The CBI in its affidavit, filed on Saturday said that SNC Lavalin had obtained wrongful gain on account of the contracts awarded to them and this fact is an important aspect that the Kerala High Court failed to take into account while discharging Vijayan.

Changes in the terms of the contract were made when Vijayan was in Canada as the guest of Lavalin in February 1997. All these factors were not taken into account when the HC discharged him and two others in the case, the CBI further said in the affidavit.