The Supreme Court on Tuesday closed the proceedings on former Kerala chief minister K. Karunakaran’s petition in the palmolein oil import scam case after his death, paving the way for commencement of trial proceedings against other co-accused, including Chief Vigilance Commissioner P.J. Thomas.
Since the apex court had stayed trial proceedings on Karunakaran’s petition with his death on December 23, a bench of Justices Aftab Alam and R.M. Lodha passed a brief order saying the proceeding on his petition was “abated”.
Though the bench did not say anything further about the rest of the co-accused, the closure of proceedings on Karunakaran’s plea automatically lifts the stay on trial proceedings in the case against the other accused.
As the trial court in Thiruvananthapuram is scheduled to hear the case on Wednesday, the SC order assumes significance as Thomas’ appointment was already under Supreme Court scrutiny after a PIL was filed questioning his appointment as CVC on the ground that he is one of the chargesheeted co-accused and, therefore, not fit be India’s watchdog against corruption. The top court had stayed the trial proceedings against Karunakaran on August 3, 2007 after he had challenged the Kerala HC order dismissing his petition for closure of the case.