SC notice to CBI, state on VS Achuthanandan plea

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The Supreme Court on Thursday issued notices to the Kerala government and CBI on a petition from Opposition leader V.S. Achuthanandan seeking a copy of the probe report in the “ice-cream parlour” case involving industries minister P.K. Kunhalikutty.

While issuing the notices, a bench of justices G.S. Singhvi and S.J. Mukhopadhaya asked the CBI and the state government to submit their affidavits in response to the demand raised by VS’ counsel Shekhar Naphade for the case copy.

VS said he was the main petitioner to move the Kerala high court in the matter way back in 1998. He moved the SC after the Kerala high court rejected his petition on May 2 on the ground the CBI’s final investigation report was not part of the record of the case arising out of his petition.

“Only the jurisdictional magistrate seized of the case could pass an appropriate order on such a request in accordance with the law,” the HC had said.

VS wanted the copy kept in a “sealed cover” by the HC, to afford him an “opportunity to know what was the investigation done so far by the CBI.”

VS alleged that since Kunhalikutty being a minister, he had tried to “influence” the key witnesses.

“Kunhalikutty is the first accused and his brother-in-law K.A. Rauf the second accused. A criminal conspiracy was hatched between them for the purpose of influencing witnesses and prosecutors with a view to saving the first accused from prosecution,” the petition said.

It further alleged that Rs 2.65 lakh and Rs 3 lakh had been paid to prime witnesses Regeena and Rajula respectively for them to turn hostile when they depose in the court.