THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Despite the virulent criticism unleashed by the Opposition LDF, the UDF Government ensured R Balakrishna Pillai’s release on Tuesday, as he was given a two-month remission on his one-year jail term. Pillai, however, will continue his stay in the specialist hospital here for a few more days and is likely to go abroad for further treatment.
The release from judicial custody turned out to be an occasion of small relief for Pillai, as Opposition Leader V S Achuthanandan filed a petition in the Supreme Court on Tuesday questioning the decision of the state government and demanding cancellation of the order.
Achuthanandan has pointed out in the petition that none convicted in a graft case was ever released before the end of the sentence period, especially in the case of one awarded by the country’s highest court. Also, Pillai could not be given the benefit of good conduct since he was found to have used mobile phones while in hospital and has attracted additional imprisonment, it was pointed out.
It was on February 18 that Pillai landed in the Poojapura central prison after the apex court awarded a one-year sentence in the Edamalayar graft case, which was spearheaded by Achuthanandan. His release has come on the 266th day of his sentence. His name has found mention in the list of 138 convicts undergoing various sentences who were released by the state government as a gesture of goodwill on the Kerala Piravi day. V K Sajeev, the contractor who was also convicted in the Edamalayar case, was also released.
The release of Pillai is likely to rock the UDF government in the coming days. The CPM has demanded that the remission order should be cancelled and Pillai should be made to undergo imprisonment for the full term. The CPI also charged that Pillai’s release is nothing but a challenge to the courts and the country’s Constitution.
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