Chief Minister Oommen Chandy said here on Wednesday that he did not propose to go on appeal against the order of the Special Vigilance Court, Thiruvananthapuram, directing a reinvestigation into his alleged role in the palmolein case.
Talking to the media after a meeting of the State Cabinet, the Chief Minister said he would take no steps that would impede a probe in the case. “If I appeal, that could be only for seeking a stay on the reinvestigation. However, I am not for stalling the inquiry.”
Mr. Chandy said he had not even changed the public prosecutor appointed by the previous government in the case. As to the report that the prosecutor had not seen the report of the Vigilance and Anti-corruption Bureau which was rejected by the court, Mr. Chandy said the prosecutor had said in the court that the report could be accepted with a slight modification.
The Chief Minister said the demonstration by Youth Congress workers before the Vigilance court in Thrissur was not taken out with the approval of the party. The Congress viewed their conduct seriously.
Fare stage
Mr. Chandy said the government proposed to reduce the rate fixed for the newly introduced fare stage for bus services at 10 km from Rs.8 to Rs.7. The Transport Minister had been asked to take necessary steps for this in view of the complaints from the public that the rate fixed for this stage was high.
He said the police report raising concerns about the Mullaperiyar dam was being examined. The Centre for Earth Science Studies had informed the government that the recent tremors need not cause much concern. However, the government had decided to take up a dam-break analysis and inundation studies.
