Kerala - Kochi   

Hearing on plea for CBI probe adjourned

Kochi: The Kerala High Court on Wednesday adjourned to February 28 the hearing on a writ petition seeking a CBI probe into a case relating to the alleged transportation of spirit using passes and the green channel facility being extended by Malabar Cements Ltd.

Justice R. Basant adjourned the hearing to enable the State government and the CBI to get instructions in the case. The petition was filed by Swanthra Thozhilali Union (STU) secretary N.M. Hameed. According to him, the Excise squad seized on January 24, 2008, a lorry that was carrying 8,540 litres of spirit concealed under cement bags.

The green channel facility allowed driving of goods carriages without the same being intercepted at various check- posts by the sales/Commercial Tax, Excise and Motor Vehicles departments. The petitioner contended that no investigation into the case was was being carried out by the police. It said the ‘lethargic inaction’ of the State government in not conducting a proper investigation into the matter was “highly suspicious.” The petitioner alleged that certain high level officers of the company as well as politicians were involved in the case. Hence the writ petition.

A Bench issued notice to the State government and others on a writ petition seeking a directive for completing the ongoing Vigilance investigation into the irregularities in Malabar Cements Ltd. in a specified period.

The public interest writ petition, filed by Isaac Varghese, said the Vigilance had started the investigation in September 2007. It alleged that the investigation was being delayed. The investigation was being conducted into the irregularities revealed by the audit report of 2003-06.

The hearing on a petition filed by the two accused in the Marad case seeking to relax one of the conditions of the bail was adjourned to February 25. The accused sought relaxation of the condition that they should reside within three km radius of the Kozhikode Special Court.

The Director General of Prosecution on Wednesday submitted a list of houses available on rent within three-km radius as directed by the judge. The accused sought to stay at their relatives’ house outside the 3-km radius of the special court.

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