Kochi: The High Court of Kerala has slammed the Left Front Government for denying permission to prosecute the accused in the Kerala State Cashew Development Corporation (KSCDC) corruption case.
The state government in the defiance mode despite giving
one more opportunity to make amends to wrong doings, the court said.
It shows the state government’s disrespect towards the government and it amounts to contempt of court.
Legal amendment empower court to prosecute the accused is
the only way to fight corruption, the court said.
Investigation agency Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had sought permission from the government to prosecute Congress leader R Chandrasekharan, former Managing Director K A Ratheesh
under the Prevention of Corruption Act.
Social worker Manoj Kadakampally filed contempt of court against the Left government for repeatedly rejecting permission to prosecute the accused.
The matter will be taken at a different date for giving judgment.
The High Court had earlier flayed the government on matters before for arguing that there was no corruption KSCDC and CBI did have enough evidence to prove the accused guilty.
The court recently asked the state government whom it was
trying to protect.
INTUC state president R Chandrasekharan
The petition was filed by Kadakampally Manoj of Kollam, alleging that the denial of prosecution sanction in the Kerala state cashew development corporation (KSCDC) case amounted to a clear violation of an earlier court order.
The case stems from allegations of large-scale corruption in the import and purchase of cashews by KSCDC. Previously, the CBI had investigated the case following an HC order issued on Manoj’s petition and had arraigned Chandrasekharan, former KSCDC managing director K A Ratheesh and two others as accused.
The government submitte that the contempt petition was not maintainable, as there was no contempt on the part of the state. However, during the previous hearing, HC rejected this submission and stated that the state govt could be proceeded against for contempt in the case.
