The bail was granted to Mr Vijayan, who appeared before the court, on the conditions of executing a bond of Rs two lakh and two sureties of the like sum.

The court also granted bail to second accused K G Rajashekaran Nair, former KSEB Member (Accounts) on similar conditions.

Mr Vijayan, along with eight others, was charged with offences under sections 120 B (criminal conspiracy) and 420 (cheating) of IPC and under provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act.

In the chargesheet filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) before the special court on June 11, nine had been arraigned in the multi-crore graft case, which related to the alleged irregularities involving Rs 374.5 crore in the award of contract for renovation and modernisation of Pallivasal, Sengulam and Panniyar hydro-electric projects to Canada-based S N C Lavalin in 1998, when Mr Vijayan was the State Electricity Minister.

The court had given four months time for issuing summons through CBI to sixth accused SNC Lavalin's representative Claus Trendl and the ninth accused SNC Lavalin, who had not returned the earlier summons.

The case had been adjourned to April 23.

Mr Vijayan had earlier sought exemption from appearing before the court on September 4 on health grounds and his petition to include Defence Minister A K Antony in the case would be heard on January 1.

The petitions of first accused former Principal Secretary and former KSEB Chairman K Mohanachandran to drop proceedings against him and third accused former KSEB Chairman R Siavadas to exempt him on health grounds, would also be heard on the same day.

The first accused K Mohanachandran, third accused R Sivadas, fourth accused former KSEB Chief Engineer Kasthuri Ranga Iyer, fifth accused former KSEB Chairman Siddharta Menon and eighth accused former Joint Secretary of power A Francis were granted bail on September 24.

Courtesy: NewKerala