On August 23, 2017, the Kerala High Court upheld the discharge of the Kerala Chief Minister, Mr. Pinarayi Vijayan. It held that as there was no prima facie evidence, supporting the case for the prosecution of the accused, he was entitled for such a relief.

It has observed that even though the former might be true, the two other politicians, who have been accused in the SNC Corruption case, are liable for facing the trial.

The aforementioned order has been passed in the pursuance of the CBI’s chargesheet, which had alleged that Mr. Vijayan, the then State Electricity Minister from May 1996 to October 1998, along with the other accused, had hatched a criminal conspiracy to award the supply contract to the company at an exorbitant cost. It had further accused the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) to have entered into a memorandum of understanding (MoU) without inviting tenders, thereby violating all rules and regulations.

It was submitted in the Hon’ble Court that the CM had influenced a Rs 374 crore deal to renovate three hydro-power projects at Pallivasal, Shenkulam and Panniyar in favour of Canadian firm SNC-Lavalin.

While challenging the order of the Special Court, it had also submitted that the Court entered into irrelevant arguments without going into the incrementing material and documents furnished by the prosecution to establish strong prima facie case against the respondent accused.