New Delhi: The Supreme Court once again adjourned the hearing of the SNC Lavalin case. This marks the 38th time the Supreme Court has postponed the hearing of the case. Today, a bench comprising Justices Surya Kant and KV Viswanathan adjourned the hearing after learning that Gaurav Agarwal, the Advocate-on-Record (AoR) for former Principal Secretary (Power) K Mohanachandran, has been designated as a Senior Advocate, necessitating the engagement of another AoR.
The appeal filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) against the acquittal of three individuals, including Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, in the case, along with the pleas of those sentenced to face trial, were under consideration. A lawyer representing one of the parties argued that the CBI seemed uninterested in pursuing the case. However, the CBI assured the court of its readiness to proceed when instructed to do so. Subsequently, the court adjourned the case to May 1.
The previous adjournment of the case occurred on October 31. The case revolves around the awarding of a contract to Canadian company SNC Lavalin for the renovation of three hydroelectric projects—Chengulam, Pallivasal, and Panniyar—during Pinarayi Vijayan’s tenure as the power minister in the then-EK Nayanar cabinet between 1996 and 1998. Allegations suggest that the contract resulted in a loss of Rs 86.25 crore.
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