Ten months after reserving the case for orders, the Kerala High Court will have to take a re-look at the plea seeking a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the alleged Travancore Titanium corruption case with the passing away of Oommen Chandy, the first respondent in the case.
S. Jayan, a trade union leader and a former employee of the company, had moved the court seeking a CBI probe into the alleged ₹256-crore pollution mitigating project, which reportedly turned out to be technically and economically unviable. Oommen Chandy was the then Chief Minister.
With Chandy’s death, the proceedings involving him will stand abated. However, the court will consider the complaints against the other respondents. The prosecution will have to file a memo in the court on the death of Chandy, judicial sources said.
Other respondents
Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala, Indian Union Muslim League leader V.K. Ebrahim Kunju, former officials of the company and the private firm involved in the import of the equipment are the other respondents in the case.
The petitioner, who had moved the Vigilance court earlier, had pointed out that the State Vigilance had dragged its feet as senior politicians were involved in the case. Only a CBI probe could bring the culprits to book. Though the State government had issued an order in 2019 asking the CBI to take over the probe, the agency did not act, he pointed out before the court.
Mr. Jayan said he would again approach the High Court shortly as 10 months had passed since the court reserved the case for orders.
