The Kerala high court rejected a plea filed by Leader of Opposition in Assembly VD Satheesan demanding a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe over “gross irregularities” into the implementation of Kerala Fibre Optic Network (KFON), a state government project aimed at providing high-speed internet connectivity.

The bench of Justices AK Jayasankaran Nambiar and Syam Kumar VM ruled, “We do not see it necessary to entrust an investigation into the allegations raised by the petitioner to CBI at this stage.”

The writ petition was filed by the Congress MLA in January this year, over four years after work had started on the KFON project, alleging gross irregularity in awarding the contract for KFON to the BEL consortium at ₹1628.35 crore, which was more than 10% more than ₹1028 crore for which administrative sanction was made by the state government in 2017.

The petition also stated that the project suffered “serious setbacks” and is not expected to be completed majorly on account of delays by the consortium partners in meeting the deadlines.

As per tender conditions, the firm supplying the optical ground wires should manufacture them in India and have facilities to test them.

In this case, as per the Comptroller and Auditor General’s remarks, the optical unit of the wires was imported from China and that the firm does not have required test and service facilities in India, the petition claimed.

The HC, after hearing detailed arguments from counsels of both parties, ruled, “The material available before us does not persuade us to arrive at a prima facie finding regarding any illegality or irregularity on the part of the respondents in the matter of the implementation of the KFON project.”

The HC ruled that as per prima facie view on the basis of explanations of the Advocate General, the KFON project is well on course towards realisation of its stated objectives.