Talking about the Lavalin case verdict, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan today stated that the verdict given by the high court in the SNC Lavalin graft had clearly shown that he was innocent and that the ruling Communist Party of India (Marxist) stand that it was a “politically motivated” case to tarnish the partys image at the national level.

“The truth has won…,” a jubilant Vijayan said, adding he always believed in the judiciary.

“I believed that judiciary will come out with the truth and that belief has become stronger now after this verdict,” he told reporters soon after the verdict. The order had come as a great relief to the CPI(M)-led LDF state government which rode to power in May last year. The case had been haunting Vijayan, a politburo member, since nearly two decades. The Kerala High Court had upheld the verdict of the CBI Court, Thiruvananthapuram, discharging the Left leader from the case, observing that “CBI had wrongly picked and chose Pinarayi Vijayan without any material in the case”. Political observers also feel that the verdict has come in handy for Vijayan, a former CPI(M) state secretary, which would strengthen his position in the party. Hitting out at the then UDF government headed by Oommen Chandy and the UPA government at the Centre in 2005, the Kerala chief minister said there had been a political conspiracy and pressure on the CBI to “frame” him in the case.

Vijayan said the verdict had clearly mentioned that the CBI had adopted a “pick and choose” formula to frame him. This was due to political pressure on the central agency, which everyone knows, he said.

Vijayan with relief writ large on his face said the verdict has given him more courage and energy to take up various development works for the state.

However, without taking any names, he said there were some “ulterior forces” who were “disappointed” with the verdict.