The court acquitted seven other accused in the case in the absence of conclusive evidence linking them with the case. There were altogether 11 accused; one died during the pendency of the case.

The second accused P K Sajeev, former member, KSEB consultative committee and state executive committee member of Kerala Congress (M), and sixth accused K Ramabhadran Nair, former KSEB chairman, are the others convicted along with Balakrishna Pillai, the first accused.

The case related to the irregularities in the award of contracts one for the construction of surge shaft and the other for concrete lining of the power tunnel to K P Paulose.

It was alleged that in pursuance to a conspiracy, Paulose was awarded contract at 162 per cent and 188 per cent respectively above the estimated cost, rejecting the lower rates without assigning any reason, thus incurring a huge loss to the state exchequer. The work was completed only in 1985 as against the deadline of August 16, 1984. The state incurred loss to the tune of Rs 23 lakh on this score too.

Offences under Sections 120 B (criminal conspiracy), 201 (causing disappearance of evidence), 409 (criminal breach of trust by a public servant), 161 (public servant taking gratification other than legal remuneration in respect of an official act) and 430 read with Sections 5 (2) and 807 (C) of Prevention of Corruption Act, had been alleged against the accused.

Special Judge K Natarajan perused 592 documents on behalf of the prosecution and 90 on behalf of the accused and also examined 157 witnesses, including C K Kochu Koshy, former chairman, KSEB; V L Joseph, former chief engineer, KSEB, and Thampanoor Ravi, MLA, and found that the three accused and the late K P Paulose had entered into a criminal conspiracy and in pursuance of this, awarded the contract to Paulose.

"A Minister who had the mandate of the people to rule the state had indulged in a criminal conspiracy with the contractors to make illegal profit and that too at the expense of the KSEB,'' observed the judge. ``As an elected representative of the people, everyone had expected that he would prevent any act of malfeasance or misfeasance committed by an officer of the board. But this person had colluded with the officers and influenced some of them for personal gain, causing loss to the board and to the people of the state."

The offence committed is of a very serious nature. These types of offences committed by persons in authority have to be seriously dealt with, the judge added.