New CVC still an accused, says Kerala CM

"The case in which a senior Congress leader (K Karunakaran) is involved remains serious till now," the veteran CPI-M leader, who took up the case when he was the Opposition leader, said.

Thomas figured as an accused in the case filed in 2003, in which then chief minister Karunakaran is listed as the first accused. The case pertains to alleged irregularities in palmolein import through a Singapore-based firm allegedly causing a loss of Rs 2.3 crore to the state exchequer.

"I do not agree with the Centre's decision," Achuthanandan said at a meet-the-press programme here when asked about the appointment of Thomas, an IAS officer of Kerala cadre who faced the allegation during his earlier tenure in the state.
Karunakaran had approached the apex court alleging that the case was politically motivated. The Oommen Chandy government had decided to withdraw the case, but did not inform the court of its decision.

When the LDF came to power, the Achuthanandan government reversed the decision and impleaded in the case pending before the Supreme Court.