NEW DELHI - The CPM on Monday criticized Kerala Governor’s go-ahead given to CBI to prosecute CPM politburo member Pinarayi Vijayan in 3 billion rupees SNC Lavalin scam, and said the CPM will fight the case both politically and legally.

“It is unfortunate that the Governor of Kerala decided to grant permission to the Central Bureau of Investigation to initiate prosecution proceedings against Pinarayi Vijayan. The CPM will fight the case both politically and legally,” a statement issued after a politburo meeting read.

“The Politburo reiterates that the CBI case against Pinarayi Vijayan, politburo member of CPM and the secretary of Kerala state committee of CPM, is politically motivated,” it added.

Earlier, politburo member Brinda Karat had said that CBI case was politically motivated.

“Our party has already taken a stand on this issue - it is a politically motivated case. The party politburo has issued a statement earlier and the state secretariat of our party in Kerala has also clarified the position on this matter,” Karat said.

On Sunday, Kerala Governor R S Gavai called the head of the CBI office to his residence and handed over a 148-page report, giving his sanction to prosecute Vijayan.

Vijayan is accused of wrongfully awarding a contract to Canadian company SNC Lavalin for renovation of two power plants when he was the state power minister in 1997.

This is the first time a CPI-M politburo member has been accused in a multi-million rupee scam and will face prosecution.

Meanwhile, security has been strengthened up at the Raj Bhavan here on Monday as a life threatening call to Kerala Governor R S Gavai was received last night from an unidentified caller from a Gulf country.

“The call came at 7.11 p.m. last evening which said that Gavi would be killed,’ said M.R. Ajith Kumar, Police Commissioner of Thiruvananthapuram.

Using details in the caller ID, which recorded an 11-digit phone number, a complaint was lodged with the Museum police station,

‘I don’t think it is serious but nevertheless we are leaving nothing to chance and a case has been registered and investigations have begun,’ Kumar added. (ANI)