Solar scam panel slaps notice on Kerala CM

Trivandrum - Names of several state and some federal ministers and MLAs and MPs had figured in connection with the scam. Many of them were accused of helping Saritha for sexual favours.

By T K Devasla

Published: Sat 18 Jul 2015, 12:00 AM

Last updated: Sat 18 Jul 2015, 10:27 AM

The judicial commission probing the solar scam rocking the state in 2013 has served notice on Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, Revenue Minister Adoor Prakash and some other ministers and legislators to respond to the accusations made against them.
The commission headed by retired high court judge Justice G Sivarajan has asked them to reply to the charges either directly or through advocates. They can also produce evidence, if any, in their defense.
The notices, issued under Section 8 (B) of the Commissions of Inquiry Act, are intended to give them a reasonable opportunity of being heard in the inquiry. Based on the replies, the commission will decide whether to examine any of them.
The chief minister and his office came under cloud after four members of his personal staff were found liaising with prime accused Saritha S Nair. This had led to allegations that the chief minister himself was directly involved in the scam.
A senior Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader had during his examination even alleged that Chandy had received Rs3.5 million and another minister Rs30 million from the accused. Chandy and Adoor Prakash were also accused of giving money to Saritha to bail them out from the case.
Names of several state and some federal ministers and MLAs and MPs had figured in connection with the scam. Many of them were accused of helping Saritha for sexual favours.
The solar case relates to duping of several persons by Saritha and her live-in partner Biju Radhakrishnan after promising to install solar power panels for them and helping them establish to solar power projects. A court had recently sentenced the duo to six years imprisonment for duping a non-resident Keralite of Rs11.7 million in this manner.
While Saritha was granted bail after being behind bars for some nine months, Biju Radhakrishnan is still in jail in connection with another case related to the murder of his first wife.
After the scam broke out, the opposition had spearheaded a prolonged struggle for the resignation of the chief minister. The government had appointed the judicial commission in the wake of an indefinite secretariat siege held by the opposition.