Thiruvananthapuram, Oct 20 (IANS): The Supreme Court on Thursday, for the 33rd time, adjourned hearing in the SNC-Lavalin case, where the CBI had challenged the decisions of a trial court and the Kerala High Court exonerating Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.

Following the High Court verdict, the Cental Bureau of Investigation, in December 2017, approached the Supreme Court, contending that Vijayan should face trial in the case.

As the case came up before a bench headed by Chief Justice U.U. Lalit, it directed the registry to post the hearing after six weeks.

The Chief Justice Lalit-headed bench in Auguest posted the case for hearing for September 13 and said that it should be ensured that it is not deferred, but then also, it was deferred to October 20 and has been shifted again now.

The case pertains to loss of Rs 374 crore in the Kerala State Electricity Board's (KSEB) contract with the Canadian-based SNC Lavalin for the renovation and modernisation of Pallivasal, Sengulam and Panniar hydroelectric projects in Idukki district, in 1996, when Vijayan was state Power Minister in the cabinet of E.K.Nayanar.

The Congress in Kerala has been alleging that there is a secret pact between the BJP in Delhi and Vijayan and that's why the case has been progressing at a snail's pace.

After the Kerala High Court gave him a clean chit in 2017, Vijayan had immediately convened a press meet and slammed the Oommen Chandy government which, in 2006, handed over this case to the CBI, just before the Assembly polls then.