Karunakaran's plea rejected

New Delhi, March 29. (PTI): The Supreme Court today dismissed a petition by former Kerala chief minister K Karunakaran seeking quashing of the FIR lodged against him on charges of corruption in the import of Palmolein oil from Singapore.

A Division Bench said, ``We are of the opinion that the registration of the FIR against Karunakaran and others cannot be held to be the result of malafides or actuated by extraneous considerations."

"The menace of corruption cannot be permitted to be hidden under the carpet of legal technicalities," Justice Sethi said writing the judgment for the Bench. He said that in such matters probes conducted were required to be determined on facts and in accordance with law.

After Karunakaran laid down his office as Chief Minister in March 1995, the Left Democratic Front Government asked the Vigilance Director to submit a report on the palmolein oil import deal in which corruption worth crores of rupees had been alleged. The Superintendent of Police, Vigilance, conducted a preliminary inquiry and then filed a criminal case against the former Chief Minister.

Karunakaran's appeal in the High Court against this was dismissed and he had moved the Supreme Court against the High Court order.

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