Kerala High Court stays further proceedings on ED show cause notice to CM Pinarayi Vijayan, others

Kochi: The Kerala High Court on Thursday stayed for three months, any proceedings pursuant to the show cause notice issued to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan by the ED in connection with the Masala Bonds issue.

Justice V G Arun also extended the same interim relief to former state Finance Minister Thomas Isaac and Vijayan's Chief Principal Secretary and KIIFB CEO K M Abraham.

The order came on the joint plea moved by Vijayan, Isaac and Abraham seeking quashing of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) show cause notices issued to them in November in connection with the use of the Masala Bond funds by the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB) for the acquisition of land for infrastructure projects.

The court said that since further proceedings pursuant to the notice were stayed against KIIFB on its plea, the petitioners - CM, Isaac and Abraham -- "were also entitled to a similar interim relief".

With the direction, the court listed the matter in January, along with the petition moved by KIIFB.