Kerala HC directs Industries Secretary to reconsider sanction for CBI probe into ₹600-crore cashew import scam

The Kerala High Court has directed the Principal Secretary of the Industries department, A.P.M. Mohammad Hanish, to comply with the judgment in a writ petition that had challenged the denial of sanction for a CBI probe into the alleged corruption in the import of raw cashew into Kerala between 2006 and 2015.

The cashew was imported by Kerala State Cashew Development Corporation (KSCDC). The judgment in the writ petition had directed Mr. Hanish to reconsider the denial of sanction in accordance with the observations made by the court.

The present order was passed in a contempt petition filed by Kadakampally Manoj of Kollam following the denial of sanction for the CBI probe by the State.

The CBI probe was to investigate the role of R. Chandrasekharan, former chairman of the Kerala State Cashew Development Corporation, and P.A. Ratheesh, former managing director of the corporation, in the corruption case.

In the contempt case, the court had previously asked Mr. Hanish to appear in person and to comply with the directions in the writ petition. It had also quashed the order by Mr. Hanish denying sanction to the CBI probe. Mr. Hanish had preferred an appeal to a Division Bench of the court against the order of personal appearance, which was granted.

Justice A. Badharudeen, considering the contempt plea on Wednesday, observed that even though the Division Bench had directed that Mr. Hanish’s personal appearance be dispensed with, the order made to comply with the judgment from the writ petition was still in force. The court stated that no stay was obtained on that order, and it was yet to be executed; therefore, Mr. Hanish was directed to positively comply with the order by the court in the contempt plea, in accordance with the observations made in the writ petition by June 19.