While expressing satisfaction at the legality of the long-overdue sanction that the Kerala government accorded to prosecute the accused in the ₹600-crore cashew import scam, the Kerala High Court on Friday (July 17, 2026) directed Cashew department Secretary K. Biju to submit the sanction order with his signature within two days.During the hearing, a Bench of Justice A. Badharudeen questioned the absence of Mr. Biju’s signature on the copy of the sanction order forwarded to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), the probe agency. The CBI had said that the absence of signature could cause impediments (to the probe). The court impleaded the CBI in the contempt-of-court proceedings initiated over the alleged delay in granting sanction for the prosecution of Kerala State Cashew Development Corporation (KSCDC) former chairperson and Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC) State president R. Chandrasekharan and its former managing director K.A. Ratheesh.Mr. Biju had earlier this week filed an unconditional apology before the court for allegedly including accusatory remarks against the judiciary in a government order granting sanction for the CBI to prosecute the duo in connection with the alleged irregularities in the import of raw cashew between 2006 and 2015.The contempt petition was filed by Kadakampally Manoj of Kollam, after the State refused to grant sanction to prosecute them. The High Court has in the meantime reserved its verdict on the apology filed by Mr. Biju. Published - July 17, 2026 08:36 pm IST