While hearing the bail applications of the four arrested persons in Palarivattom flyover scam case, including former Public Works Department secretary Soorej TO, the High Court on Tuesday stated that the investigation should not be interrupted. In a verbal direction, the court also asked the state government not to start the reconstruction work of Palarivattom flyover till October 10.
The High Court on Tuesday considered multiple petitions in connection with the Palarivattom flyover that was closed after finding that the structure had developed serious cracks on it. Apart from the bail plea of the accused, there were two separate petitions asking the High Court to issue direction to state government to restrain demolition activities of the flyover.
While considering the bail plea of the accused, court directed the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) which is probing the case to present the evidence against the accused in sealed envelopes and also to submit the case dairy.
Meanwhile, the bail plea of the four accused - Sumeet Goyal, managing director of RDS Projects Ltd, the construction company; MT Thankachan, former assistant general manager of Roads and Bridges Development Corporation of Kerala Ltd. (RBDCK), a subsidiary of Kerala PWD; Benny Paul, joint general manager of KITCO which provided technical expertise, and Soorej TO, was rejected by the court. The case will be further heard on Friday.
While considering separate petitions by two Ernakulam residents - Jaffer Khan and P Varghese Cherian - requesting the court to restrain government from carrying out demolition activities on the flyover, court stated that the flyover’s reconstruction should not commence before October 10.
“Government can go forward with the reconstruction of the flyover, but it should not be initiated till October 10,” the court stated.
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan last week had stated that the flyover will be reconstructed.
Meanwhile Association of Structural and Geotechnical Consulting Engineers members had also recently come out stating that the flyover should not be demolished.
Talking to media in Kochi on Monday, the members of the association stated that the flyover should only be demolished after load test is done on the structure.
“There will be no issues for light vehicles like car and bike to pass through the flyover. According to the first study report on the flyover by IIT Madras, the structure was repaired at a cost of Rs 3 crore. It is not right to say that the flyover should be reconstructed. The second report prepared by experts of IIT has not come out yet. The government should put it out,” stated the officials of Association of Structural and Geotechnical Consulting Engineers.
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