Kerala former minister Pillai returns to prison

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Former Minister and Kerala Congress-B leader R Balakrishna Pillai, who had been on a month-long parole, returned to Poojappura central prison here today on expiry of the parole period.76-year old Pillai was jailed on February 18 after the Supreme Court sentenced him to one-year imprisonment in the case relating to irregularities in awarding of contracts for Idamalaylar power project when he was Power minister in the late 1980s.He has already exhausted the 45-day parole provision in a year for a convict and would have to spend the rest of the period in jail unless his pending plea for remission is granted by the government.Pillai has sought remission on the ground that he was above 75 years and ailing.