SC rejects Kannamthanams plea against Chandy

NEWDELHI: The Supreme Court on Wednesday dismissed a petition seeking an independent panel of IPS officers for monitoring the probe into the palmolein case.A Bench comprising Justice Aftab Alam and Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai  declined to act on the petition submitted by the IAS officer-turned-politician Alphonse Kannamthanam to investigate Chief Minister Oommen Chandy’s alleged role in the scam. Kannamthanam had moved the apex court challenging the Kerala High Court’s order, dated October 28, 2011, wherein it declined to entertain his plea for monitoring the probe into the case, pointing out the decision to import palmolein in 1991 was a collective decision of the Cabinet.Kannamthanam, who joined the BJP last year, wanted the case to be monitored by the Supreme Court in line with the 2G spectrum scam. He also sought constitution of a special investigation team (SIT) comprising a distinguished panel of IPS officers to take over the investigation. Notably, on October 18, the Kerala government had informed the High Court that it had no objection to the vigilance court’s decision ordering an investigation into the role of Chandy in the case.