Kochi | Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly V D Satheesan on Friday filed a plea with the Kerala High Court, seeking a CBI probe into alleged corruption in awarding contracts for the Left government's K-FON project, which offers free internet connectivity to the poor.

In a plea filed, Satheesan alleged that there was a major delay in implementing the Kerala Fibre Optic Network (K-FON).

The Congress leader alleged that a project that would have become a milestone has been handed over to those without the required qualifications for its implementation.

Satheesan sought a CBI probe alleging that there was corruption in awarding the contracts and subcontracts for project implementation.

The plea is likely to be heard sometime next week.

K-FON, launched last year, aims to provide free internet to around 20 lakh economically weak families, and at an affordable rate to others.

The government had earlier said that over 18,000 government offices in the state have been provided internet facilities through the Rs 1,500-crore K-FON project.

K-FON is Kerala's own internet service, through which the government hopes to help strengthen digital infrastructure in the state. Kerala is the first state to declare the Internet as a fundamental right of the citizen.

A consortium of public sector companies including Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) and Railtel, along with certain private companies, is executing the project.