A special vigilance court in Thiruvananthapuram reserved for March 14 for orders on a state government petition seeking further probe into the palmolein grant case. The prosecution in a petition filed last week had sought court direction for further probe contending that some more persons were likely to become accused in the case.
The Kerala high court has admitted a petition by CPI-M veteran V S Achuthanandan challenging a vigilance court order giving clean chit to Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, who was a member of K Karunakaran cabinet in 1991-92 when the Palmolein case rocked the state.
Central Vigilance Commissioner P J Thomas has dragged Dr Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in the controversy surrounding the Palmolein import case. In his latest affidavit, Thomas states the PM knew about his pending Palmolein import case since 2008 and the Kerala government's request to withdraw sanction of prosecution.
The report filed by Vigilance SP V N Sasidharan said Chandy was not aware of the details of the decision to import palmolein through a Singapore based firm.
In a new turn in the palmolein graft case, a special vigilance court on Monday gave sanction for a further probe that could bring former chief minister and Congress leader Oommen Chandy under the scanner. The court order, which also asked the investigating agency to submit a report within three months, came following the prosecution plea seeking a further probe on the ground that some more persons were likely to be named accused in the case.
In a legal and political setback to the Congress-led United Democratic Front government in Kerala, a vigilance court on Friday turned down its move to wind up the palmolein import graft case dating to 1992 when late Congress veteran K Karunakaran was the chief minister.
Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy on Wednesday said he would not appeal against the Vigilance Court order of a probe into his alleged role in the Palmolein oil import case. "I will not do anything that will hamper the investigation process," Chandy told reporters after a Cabinet meeting. He also rejected the Opposition's allegation that the vigilance probe would not be impartial as long as he (Chandy) continued to be the chief minister.
In a setback to Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, a vigilance court in Thiruvananthapuram on Monday ordered a probe to ascertain if he had any role in the 1992 palmolein oil import deal as the then finance minister in the K Karunakaran government.
A vigilance court in Thiruvananthapuram on Wednesday posted to January 25 the trial in the Palmolein import graft case, in which former chief minister and Congress stalwart late K Karunakaran and Central Vigilance Commissioner P J Thomas figure in the list of accused. When the case came up on Wednesday, the public prosecutor informed the court that first accused K Karunakaran was no more and he would file a report in this regard soon.
The Supreme Court on Tuesday allowed the Kerala government to go ahead with the trial in the multi-crore Palmolein oil scam involving Chief Vigilance Commissioner P J Thomas and former chief minister K Karunakaran. A bench of Justices Aftab Alam and R M Lodha gave the green signal after treating Karunakaran's appeal as 'abated' in view of his death on December 23 last year. The Kerala government had earlier moved the apex court seeking vacation of its stay on the trial.
The Kerala high court on Tuesday stayed a lower court order directing investigation into the role of Chief Minister Oommen Chandy in the 1992 palmolein import case. Chandy was the finance minister in the K Karunakaran cabinet when the deal was inked.
Mondelez, Coca-Cola, PepsiCo and Nestle India have been working on bringing down the sugar, salt, and sodium content.
Through increase in import duty, the government aims to help domestic oilseed crushers and edible oil producers who suffered badly last year due to cheap imports
Soybean is trading at a 25 per cent premium to the MSP, after initially slipping below the government's threshold procurement price of Rs 2,850 a quintal.
'The RSS has opposed the introduction of GM Mustard tooth and nail, but PM Modi does not give a hoot for what they think.'
With Home Minister P Chidambaram stating that the Palmolein case against P J Thomas was discussed by the central vigilance committee selection panel, senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader Sushma Swaraj on Tuesday said she would not file an affidavit on the issue in the Supreme Court as there was 'no dispute on facts now'. "The home minister has now admitted that I had raised the Palmolein case and recorded my disagreement precisely for this reason," Swaraj said.
The government has reduced the tariff value for import of edible oil, including palm oil, by up to $112 per tonne, a move which experts said can lead to lower domestic prices. The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC), through a notification, has cut the tariff import value of crude palm oil by $86 per tonne, and of RBD and crude palmolein by $112 per tonne each. It also reduced the base import price of crude soyabean oil by $37 per tonne. The changes in tariff value of edible oil are effective from Thursday (June 17).
It has decided to drop proceedings in the palmolein import case in which former CM figures as an accused.
In order to check the abnormal surge in edible oil prices during Diwali festivities, as many as 18 states are in the process of imposing stock holding limits on oilseeds and edible oils after being empowered by the Centre for doing so. Of the 18 states that are in the process of imposing stock limit on my edible oils apart from UP, include Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Odisha, Kerala, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Tripura and the Union Territory of Chandigarh. Of the 18, Uttar Pradesh, has already imposed stock limits on edible oils, the Centre was informed with as many as 23 states to discuss ways and means to ensure further easing of edible oil prices.
There is no need to take the consent of the Lok Sabha speaker to prosecute him in the Palmolein case, the Kerala high court said.
The government on Monday reduced the import tariff value of gold to $458 per 10 grams due to fall in its global prices.
The government on Wednesday raised the import tariff value of gold at $430 per ten grams and that of silver to $639 per kg as prices of the precious metals have risen in the global market.
Dealing a big blow to the United Progressive Alliance government, the Supreme Court on Thursday quashed the appointment of P J Thomas as Central Vigilance Commissioner. The apex court held that the recommendation made by the high-powered panel -- headed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh -- did not consider the relevant material and therefore its advice "does not exist in law".
Union Home Minister P Chidambaram on Wednesday accused Leader of Opposition Sushma Swaraj of making thoughtless allegations and "tying herself in knots" by levelling the charge that he had misled the panel which selected P V Thomas as the Central Vigilance Commissioner.
The selection committee meeting to chose Central Vigilance Commissioner in September last year did discuss the issue of Palmolein case against P J Thomas, Home Minister P Chidambaram said on Monday but parried a question whether a "chargesheeted" person should have been appointed.
MCX launched contracts in gold, heating oil, gasoline, natural gas, sliver HNI and aviation turbine fuel (ATF). The futures contracts will expire between February and May and the trading specifications will remain unchanged, the exchanges said.
Central Vigilance Commissioner P J Thomas may quit the post in the wake of stinging observations from the Supreme Court on his capacity to supervise the CBI probe into the 2G spectrum scam.
'Between 2000 and 2004 there were six recommendations to start proceedings against P J Thomas. After 2004 not only was there no such recommendation, but all mention of the Palmolein Case was wiped off Thomas's bio-data. There seems to have been a deliberate attempt to clear Thomas's record starting in 2004. The Manmohan Singh ministry took office in 2004. Draw your own inferences.'
Defending his appointment as central vigilance commissioner, P J Thomas on Tuesday told the Supreme Court that there was no sanction to prosecute him in the Palmolein import case. In an affidavit, submitted to the apex court, Thomas said that his name was considered for empanelment for the post after the Central Vigilance Commission had given a clearance for it. He also said he was the senior-most bureaucrat to be considered for the CVC's job.
The Bharatiya Janata Party on Monday asked Prime Minister Manmohan Singh if he was aware of the cases against P J Thomas before the collegium appointed him as the Central Vigilance Commissioner.The BJP sought to know from the government why documents related to the charge-sheet in the Palmolein case in Kerala and those related to Thomas' efforts at 'covering up' the 2G spectrum allocation were not brought to the notice of the appointing collegium.
After campaigning in Alleppey for the legendary K R Gowri Amma, Oommen Chandy spoke to Rediff.com's Shobha Warrier about forming the next government in the state, development in Kerala and more.
If the UPA or the Opposition wants the CVC out it must use due process of law, not insult and innuendo. Prosecute him if he is guilty, praise him if he is innocent, but at all costs respect the office that he holds, says T V R Shenoy.
Import of sensitive items increased by 52 per cent during April-September 2003 to Rs 9,871 crore (Rs 98.7i billion) as compared to Rs 6,482 crore (Rs 64.82 billion) in the corresponding period the previous year.
Massive upsurge of 69 per cent in crude palm oil imports lifted total imports of sensitive items in April-July 2003 by 39 per cent to Rs 5,879 crore (Rs 58.79 billion).
The government on Thursday slashed the import tariff value on gold for the second straight day to $ 414 per 10 grams and silver to $672 per kg, in line with weak global prices of the precious metals.
The import tariff value is the base price at which the customs duty is determined to prevent under-invoicing.
Sports Authority of India boss Jiji Thomson has quit with immediate effect citing injustice by the Government over his promotion and the IAS officer says his departure comes at an inopportune time with the Rio Olympics scheduled in mid 2016.
FMCG import bill is bloated, Modi must do something to bring it down.
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