Politics · India Bureau
Kerala High Court halts FIR against former CM Vijayan in CMRL case
A division bench of the Kerala High Court has stayed proceedings against former chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan, putting on hold an earlier order directing registration of a corruption case. The court is hearing appeals challenging the direction to lodge the FIR.
LSN India ·
The Kerala High Court's division bench has interim-suspended an FIR and vigilance probe against Pinarayi Vijayan in connection with the Cochin Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) matter, while considering appeals filed by the former chief minister's legal team.
The stay comes after a single-judge bench had previously directed authorities to register a corruption case against Vijayan. The division bench chose to put that order on hold while examining the appeals challenging the directive, effectively halting the registration of the formal complaint.
Vijayan, who served as Kerala's chief minister until May 2021, has been the subject of scrutiny in the CMRL case, which relates to irregularities allegedly committed during his tenure. The stay of proceedings provides temporary relief as the appeals challenging the investigation's initiation are examined by the higher bench.
The matter remains sub judice, with the court's final determination on the appeals expected to determine whether the FIR registration and vigilance probe can proceed. Legal experts note that such stays are commonly granted when courts find merit in reviewing whether previous orders warrant reconsideration.