Kerala’s Opposition leader Oommen Chandy has welcomed the vigilance court nod for a further probe in the palmolein oil case, though he appeared tentative on the next course of action.
Keeping his followers in agonised suspense, the chief ministerial candidate of the opposition United Democratic Front has sought time ill Tuesday to study the full text of the judgment and spell out his stand.
The verdict was brief, citing a High Court judgment that the probe was the prerogative of the police and there was no need to approach the court for a formal permission. The Left Democratic Front government had sought a fresh probe into the case citing some statements made by Mr Chandy in 2005.
The opposition leader was perhaps relieved that the court did not name him.
But the burden of the prosecution’s argument was that Mr Chandy had prior knowledge of the import deal of 1992 which caused loss to the state exchequer.
While issuing the verdict, the court directed the vigilance team to wrap up the probe in three months.
But that’s just a deadline and the probe report could be submitted to the court seeking his arraignment even earlier.
This leaves several questions unanswered — whether Mr Chandy could lead the Congress poll campaign with the palmolein probe hanging over him and whether it would be better to pass the baton if the probe officials name him as an accused.
“I hope the high command will heed my request and let me take the appropriate step,” Mr Chandy told reporters after the court verdict. But despite several queries, he refused to disclose the course of action.
“I will fully cooperate with the probe,” he said, adding, “That is my responsibility as a law-abiding citizen. I won’t cite technicalities or resort to other means like the CPI(M) does when faced with court verdicts.”