THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Precipitating an unprecedented crisis for Kerala's four month old Oommen Chandy government, a designated Vigilance Court judge who had ordered further probe against the chief minister in connection with the Palmolein import scam case, recused himself on Saturday.
Taking up the matter soon after the court assembled on Saturday, Enquiry Commissioner and Special Judge P K Haneefa said he was pained by the allegations leveled against him in the media ever since he had issued the order, on August 8, directing further probe in the case. Expressing his inability to continue working in the case, the judge said he would request the high court to transfer it to some other court.
The judge's action comes at the end of a nearly two weeks of intense politicking with the state government's chief whip P C George shooting off a complaint against him to President Pratibha Patil. George, MLA from Poonjar, was upset with the judge for ordering a fresh inquiry into the role of Chandy in the case which had earlier proved to be the nemesis for the former Chief Vigilance Commissioner P J Thomas.
The court had rejected a vigilance inquiry report that gave Chandy, who was the finance Minister when the import happened, a clean chit in the matter. Citing the statement of a witness, the court even said that Chandy as the finance minister ``did not take any step for preventing the import of the Palmolien, even after the allegation of corruption in the import was reported in newspapers on December 28 and 29, 1991.''
Though Chandy refused to go in appeal, George was in no mood to relent. Taking objection to the order, George in his complaint claimed that the judge seemed determined to make Chandy an accused in the case. Later taking part in a TV show, George allegedly repeated his charges against Judge Haneefa and even went on to suggest external influences.
The chief minister sought to steer clear of the ensuing battle in which the government and the opposition were attacking each other with the judge was caught in the middle. Reacting to the news of the judge recusing himself, Chandy said the parties to the case had not expressed any distrust in him.
Though the case was originally listed for hearing on November 10, the vigilance court advanced it to Saturday prompting rumours that the judge was planning to withdraw from the hearing.
Interestingly, the development also comes just two day after a judge of the high court declined to hear an appeal filed by yet another accused in the case Jiji Thomson challenging the August 8 order of the vigilance court. Justice N K Balakrishnan instead directed that the petition be placed before the chief justice.
Taking up the matter soon after the court assembled on Saturday, Enquiry Commissioner and Special Judge P K Haneefa said he was pained by the allegations leveled against him in the media ever since he had issued the order, on August 8, directing further probe in the case. Expressing his inability to continue working in the case, the judge said he would request the high court to transfer it to some other court.
The judge's action comes at the end of a nearly two weeks of intense politicking with the state government's chief whip P C George shooting off a complaint against him to President Pratibha Patil. George, MLA from Poonjar, was upset with the judge for ordering a fresh inquiry into the role of Chandy in the case which had earlier proved to be the nemesis for the former Chief Vigilance Commissioner P J Thomas.
The court had rejected a vigilance inquiry report that gave Chandy, who was the finance Minister when the import happened, a clean chit in the matter. Citing the statement of a witness, the court even said that Chandy as the finance minister ``did not take any step for preventing the import of the Palmolien, even after the allegation of corruption in the import was reported in newspapers on December 28 and 29, 1991.''
Though Chandy refused to go in appeal, George was in no mood to relent. Taking objection to the order, George in his complaint claimed that the judge seemed determined to make Chandy an accused in the case. Later taking part in a TV show, George allegedly repeated his charges against Judge Haneefa and even went on to suggest external influences.
The chief minister sought to steer clear of the ensuing battle in which the government and the opposition were attacking each other with the judge was caught in the middle. Reacting to the news of the judge recusing himself, Chandy said the parties to the case had not expressed any distrust in him.
Though the case was originally listed for hearing on November 10, the vigilance court advanced it to Saturday prompting rumours that the judge was planning to withdraw from the hearing.
Interestingly, the development also comes just two day after a judge of the high court declined to hear an appeal filed by yet another accused in the case Jiji Thomson challenging the August 8 order of the vigilance court. Justice N K Balakrishnan instead directed that the petition be placed before the chief justice.
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