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Kerala
By Our Special Correspondent
Distributing copies of the Kerala Assembly's 1994-96 Public Accounts Committee (PUC) report on the palmolein import deal at a news conference here today, Mr. Achuthanandan pointed out that Mr. Hassan had not written any dissenting note to the PUC report dealing with the palmolein import case as claimed by him at a news conference here on Saturday. Mr. Hassan was chairman of the PUC during 1995-96. The PUC headed by him had finalised its report on March 19, 1996. The Committee could not submit its report to the House since the session was adjourned sine die on the same day and the ninth Kerala Legislative Assembly was dissolved on May 14, 1996. The PUC, which was headed by J. Mercykutty Amma during 1998-2000, had considered the report on January 1, 1999, and decided to submit it to the House without any modification. Mr. Achuthanandan pointed out that seven out of the 11 members of the PUC headed by Mr. Hassan were UDF members and the Committee's decision was that Mr. Karunakaran was the prime mover of the entire deal. "If Mr. Hassan tries to hold Mr. Karunakaran in a protective embrace despite this, is it not to smother him?'' Mr. Achuthanandan asked. Though Mr. Hassan might have his political reasons for doing so, he had better not take the people for a ride for it, he said. Mr. Achuthanandan pointed out that there were two main findings of the PUC headed by Mr. Hassan. The first was that officials could not be held responsible for having initiated the palmolein import deal because the deal was founded on a letter sent by Mr. Karunakaran to the import agent, P and E Company, on November 9, 1991. The second finding was that there was validity in the CAG's finding that the deal originated from discussions between Mr. Karunakaran and representatives of P and E Company at Delhi. The PUC, the Opposition leader said, had also rejected the Government's contention that the CAG's finding was politically motivated. Mr. Achuthanandan said the UDF liaison committee convener, Oommen Chandy, and Mr. Hassan's demand that the palmolein case should be withdrawn and the `deliberate delay' in taking the Vigilance inquiry into the Tourism Minister, K. V. Thomas, forward should be seen in consonance. A Division Bench of the Kerala High Court, headed by the Chief Justice himself, had aired the suspicion whether the Vigilance probe against Mr. Thomas was being deliberately delayed. This showed that the UDF Government was bent on denigrating institutions responsible to investigate and sit in judgment on corruption cases. The `real conspirator' behind the curtain was none other than the Chief Minister, A. K. Antony. The Opposition would wage a strong battle against such betrayal, he added. On the chances of his impleading in the case now before the Supreme Court, Mr. Achuthanandan said the case was not exactly at a stage where he could implead. However, given the opportunity, he would do his best to apprise the Supreme Court of the games being played by the State Government. He had done so when Mr. Karunakaran had approached the High Court with the plea that since he was a Member of Parliament, he could be proceeded against only with the permission of the Speaker of the Lok Sabha. The Government counsel had then adopted a stand favouring Mr. Karunakaran. That was when his (Mr. Achuthanandan's) counsel intervened to set the record straight. This had resulted in the High Court asking the Vigilance Court to continue the proceedings against Mr. Karunakaran, the Opposition leader pointed out.
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