Thiruvananthapuram: A bench of the Kerala Lok Ayukta and Upa-Lokayukta on Wednesday dismissed a review petition in Chief Minister's Grievance Redressal & Distress Relief Fund (CMDRF) "misuse" case involving Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and his cabinet colleagues of the previous ministry. 

Lok Ayukta, Justice (Rtd) Cyriac Joseph, and Upa Lok Ayukta, Justice (Rtd) Harun-Ul-Rashid dismissed the review petition filed by RS Sasikumar seeking to review the order referring to the case to be jointly probed by Lok Ayukta and the two Upa Lok Ayuktas. Sasikumar argued that the question of whether the agency can consider the case was already addressed by the previous Lok Ayukta. Earlier, the probe by Lok Ayukta and Upa Lok Ayukta couldn’t reach a consensus on whether they have the power to probe a cabinet decision.

The hearing, originally scheduled for Tuesday, was postponed due to the petitioner’s request. Considering the petition, the Lok Ayukta and Upa Lok Ayukta obliquely criticised the petitioner for the delay.

The three-member bench which considered the matter again at 2 pm rescheduled the full bench hearing to June 5. Upa Lokayukta Babu Mathew P Joseph held that a detailed hearing of both parties is required. 

The case pertains to alleged favouritism in sanctioning financial aid from the fund to NCP leader late Uzhavoor Vijayan, former CPM MLA late K K Ramachandran Nair and to the family of Praveen, a civil police officer who died in an accident while undertaking escort duty for ruling CPM state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan.