THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: For the first time, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has commented about LDF Government denying permission to CBI’s recommendation to prosecute INTUC state president R Chandrasekharan and K A Ratheesh, former chairman and managing director respectively of Kerala State Cashew Development Corporation (KSCDC) in the `600 crore scam in procuring inferior quality raw cashew nuts from abroad.
Speaking to reporters here, Pinarayi said permission was denied to the CBI following the legal advice the state government had received. The CBI had sought permission to prosecute the duo five months ago. Despite the chief secretary and the departments of industries, cashew, vigilance and law giving nod to prosecute the duo, legal opinion was sought from the director general of prosecution.
He, however, denied permission citing that the findings of the CBI are not true. This led the CM to give a clean chit to the duo. One of them is currently holding the post of secretary of Kerala Khadi Board. He is accused of indulging in corruption while procuring raw cashew nuts between 2006 and 2015 where the CBI probe team demanded to remove him from office before prosecution steps were initiated.
It was alleged the KSCDC officials violated norms by awarding the contract to supply raw cashew nuts to a private supplier with the aim of cheating the PSU. The High Court had ordered a CBI probe on a petition filed by former Kollam secretary of INTUC K Manoj.