The Central Bureau of Investigations (CBI) has challenged the acquittal by a Court of Kerala chief-minister Pinarayi Vijayan in the SNC-Lavalin case.

The case pertains to Vijayan’s tenure as State Electricity Minister during veteran CPI-M leader E.K. Nayanar’s one of the many terms as the State’s chief-minister.  It was accused at that time that Vijayan, who allowed SNC-Lavalin to acquire contract to maintain and run the machinery installed at the three important thermal power stations for Rs.372 crores, didn’t follow the usual tender-floating norms.

Kerala High Court acquitted Vijayan in 2013 saying that there weren’t enough evidences before it to point an accusing finger at him. CBI has now woken up after four years to file an appeal with the Kerala High Court against Vijayan’s acquittal.

CPI-M sources in Trivandrum said that it was apparent that the ruling BJP at the Centre, which has failed innumerable number of times to make its presence in Kerala, is toying with the CBI, which is supposed to be an independent body, in targeting its political enemies.