Thiruvananthapuram, April 10 - A Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court Tuesday summoned Pinarayi Vijayan, secretary of the Kerala unit of the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M), in a corruption case related to Canada-based firm SNC Lavalin.

Vijayan, who is the seventh accused in the Rs.374 crore scam and is currently on bail, was asked by the CBI court to appear in person on July 10.

The court direction came after Vijayan's counsel sought exemption from personal appearance during the trial.

The court had in December asked all accused to appear in person for the hearing Tuesday. While six of the accused showed up, Vijayan did not.

In June 2009, the CBI filed chargesheets against nine people in the case related to a 1997 agreement for renovating three power plants in the state. Vijayan was power minister at the time.

The other accused in the case include six former officials of the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) as well as Claus Trendl, former vice president of SNC Lavalin.