On Friday, the Kerala High Court granted bail to former minister and Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) leader VK Ebrahim Kunju in the Palarivattom flyover scam. Only three weeks ago, the court had denied him bail in the case.
Ebrahim Kunju has been undergoing treatment for cancer while he was in judicial custody. He was arrested by the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) in November. The court while denying him bail in December, said that he may apply for a fresh bail once he was discharged from the hospital.
The IUML leader was arrested following allegations of corruption in the building of the Palarivattom flyover in Ernakulam, during the previous United Democratic Front (UDF) government's rule. The bridge was later demolished for rebuilding by the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) in 2020.
Ebrahim Kunju's arrest happened after a Vigilance Court dismissed his bail application. He was then questioned by VACB officials at the Lakeshore Hospital in Ernakulam where he was admitted for treatment. The Muvattupuzha Vigilance Court had permitted the VACB to question the former minister at the hospital, though it dismissed the agency's plea for his custody.
The Vigilance have questioned him several times in the past for the case. Ebrahim Kunju is alleged to have allowed interest-free funds to the contracting company, building the flyover, while he was minister of the Public Works Department.
The bridge was thrown open to the public in 2017, but closed two years later -- in May 2019 -- after major structural damages were discovered.
Both the IUML leader and the Congress-led UDF had claimed that the arrest was politically motivated.
The demolition of the bridge began in September, overseen by E Sreedharan, former Delhi Metro Rail Managing Director. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan spoke to Sreedharan, who said that the project can be completed in eight months.
Watch: Palarivattom flyover demolition begins