SC paves way for trial in Palmolein oil import case

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court has paved the way for start of trial in the Palmolein oil import scam. CVC J Thomas is an accused in the case.

The apex court disposed the petition filed by K Karunakaran after his death. With this the interim order staying the trial also becomes ineffective.

K Karunakaran, who was four times chief minister of Kerala, died in December last year.

The case relates to the alleged loss of Rs 2.32 crore in the import of palmolein oil in 1991-92 when late K Karunarakan was the chief minister of Kerala and P J Thomas the food secretary and a member of the Board of the Kerala State Civil Supplies Corporation.

Thomas figures as the eighth accused in the chargesheet filed by the Vigilance and Anti-corruption Bureau in 2003.

According to the chargesheet, filed under the Prevention of Corruption Act and the Indian Penal Code, the accused caused the exchequer a loss of Rs 2.32 crore by importing palmolein through a Singapore-based firm at exorbitant rates.

The Supreme Court, through an interim order in 2007, had stayed further proceedings in the lower court while considering a petition filed by Karunakaran.