THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Opposition leader V D Satheesan termed as strange the Lokayukta verdict in the relief fund diversion case against Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. Talking to the media, he said the verdict destroys the entire credibility of the Lokayukta and it is not clear why the verdict was delayed for a year after the completion of the trial.

‘The entire faith of the people on the anti-corruption system has been shattered. The plea is left to the three-member bench after a year of completion of the trial. If the high court had not intervened, the decision would still not have been taken. It would have been a verdict that would never come out. The differences of opinion of the two is surprising. I would say that this is actually a judgment obtained by intimidating the Lokayukta. With the knowledge of the chief minister, threatened the Lokayukta using K T Jaleel, the then minister. The chief minister's aim is to extend the verdict indefinitely. Fearing the verdict of the case, the chief minister reached the assembly with the amended bill but it was not signed by the governor,' said the opposition leader.

The complaint was left to the full bench of the Lokayukta for the final judgement in the relief fund misappropriation case. The three-member bench will pass the verdict after hearing the arguments again. The date for this will be announced later. It was decided to leave the case to the full bench due to the differences of opinion between Lokayukta Justice Cyriac Joseph and Justice Haroon Al Rasheed over the verdict in the case.

One of the judges ruled in favor of the complaint and the other against it. The difference was whether the case was maintainable and whether the matter could be examined by the Lokayukta. With this, it was decided to leave the complaint to the full bench of the Lokayukta for the final verdict.