Supreme Court Verdict in CMRL-Exalogic Case a Blow to Vendetta Politics: K N Balagopal

Thiruvananthapuram: The Supreme Court verdict in connection with the CMRL-Exalogic deal is a ruling against vendetta politics, CPI(M) leader and MLA KN Balagopal said. In a statement, he said democratic-minded people would welcome the verdict staying the Vigilance investigation in the case registered against Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. He added that the ruling dealt a major blow to what he described as the Modi-VD-ED nexus.

The Supreme Court’s crucial verdict came in a case fabricated to target Pinarayi Vijayan and others in the CPI(M)’s national leadership, Balagopal said. The CPI(M) had made it clear that Keralam would not accept the kind of political persecution successfully carried out in other states, he said. The party had also firmly stated that it would fight such targeting through legal and political means. The verdict could be viewed as an endorsement of that position, he added.

The Supreme Court set aside the single judge’s order directing the registration of an FIR and the Division Bench’s order refusing permission to appeal. The court also cautioned the Enforcement Directorate against exceeding its authority. It questioned the judge’s authority to direct that the allegations be investigated and described the single judge’s ruling as contradictory, Balagopal said.

The verdict was also a major setback for Congress leaders in Keralam and Chief Minister VD Satheesan, whom Balagopal accused of enabling what he described as malicious attempts by central investigative agencies controlled by the Sangh Parivar to undermine the Left in Keralam.

The ruling was also a warning against what he called the investigative theatrics carried out by central agencies in various cases, including the alleged smuggling of gold through diplomatic baggage, the biryani pot controversy, claims involving date-palm seeds, allegations of gold smuggling concealed inside the Quran, and investigations related to KIIFB, Balagopal said.