A CBI court on Saturday issued the non-bailable arrest warrant to Claus Trendl, former senior vice-president of SNC Lavalin, in the SNC Lavalin case and directed the CBI to serve on him through proper channel.
Trendl is the sixth accused in the case relating to irregularities in the award of contract to the Canadian company for renovation of three hydel projects in 1998 when Pinarayi Vijayan was the Power Minister. CPI (M) State secretary Pinarayi Vijayan is one among the accused in the case.
The allegations of the CBI was that the former Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) officials and other accused had hatched a criminal conspiracy among themselves and with the senior vice-president of the SNC Lavalin in awarding the renovation and modernisaton of Pallivasal, Sengulam and Panniyar Hydro electric projects to the SNC Lavalin at a higher rate, violating the rules and regulations, normal procedure, thereby causing a loss to the tune of Rs. 390 crores to the KSEB and the Kerala government.
The court also directed CBI to serve summons to the secretary of the SNC Lavalin in the country. The other accused former KSEB officials Rajashekaran Nair and Siddhartha Menon were present in the court.
Meanwhile, the CBI gave a statement of Dileep Rahulan, director for Asia, SNC Lavalin who was questioned by the Dubai police on the request of the CBI.
According to him, he had not taken any decision to appoint Technicalia as a consultant for the project. The decision was taken by the then Ministry of Energy and Chairman of the SNLC Lavalin at a meeting.
