Kerala Solar Scam: Judicial Commission Indicts Ex CM Oommen Chandy
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan tabled the report of judicial commission probing the solar scam in the state assembly on Thursday.The findings of the report indict Chandy and his office and the way his three office staff had close links with Saritha Nair.
The report also contains a letter written by Nair wherein she names all those who sexually exploited her. Among the others who have been found guilty include Chandy`s former cabinet colleagues Aryadan Mohammed, Adoor Prakash, A.P. Anil Kumar and Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan.
The others named in the case are legislator Hibi Eden, former MLAs Benny Behanan and Thampanoor Ravi, Lok Sabha members Jose K. Mani and K.C. Venugopal, former Union Minister Palanimanickam and party office bearers.
The Chief Minister, while tabling the report in the Assembly, said the Commission had found former chief minister Oommen Chandy and his several cabinet colleagues of having abetted the attempts by solar scam accused Saritha S. Nair and Biju Radhakrishnan to dupe the people.
The judicial commission report on the solar scam, which rocked the previous Congress-led UDF regime led by Oommen Chandy, and has indicted Chandy along with his personal staff for helping Team Solar company Saritha and his company in cheating their customers.
“Former CM Oommen Chandy through his personnel, assisted team solar and accused Sarita of enabling them to cheat customers. Then, Home Minister T Radhakrishnan made all efforts to ensure that Oommen Chandy is extricated from criminal liability,” said the Judicial Commission’s report on the solar scam. Vijayan gave permission for live telecast on the day`s proceedings.
The report further states that the then home minister T Radhakrishnan “made all efforts to ensure that Oommen Chandy was extricated from criminal liability with help from police officer.” Power minister Arayadan Mohammad too is mentioned in the report as having assisted the solar company run by Saritha and her partner Biju Radhakrishnan.
The government on October 11 decided to initiate vigilance and SIT probe against Chandy, two of his cabinet colleagues and some other United Democratic Front (UDF) leaders. It was also decided to register criminal cases against politicians named by prime accused Saritha S Nair over her alleged sexual exploitation.
The judicial commission has recommended consideration on applicability of Prevention of Corruption Act and further inquiry by a competent authority to uphold the discipline of police force.
The commission was appointed by the previous Chandy government after allegations surfaced about duping of several people of crores of rupees by prime accused Saritha and Biju who offered them solar panel solutions.
Justice G Sivarajan had submitted his report to the government on September 26, four years after the previous UDF government constituted the commission when charges surfaced about duping of several persons of crores of rupees by Saritha S Nair and Biju Radhakrishnan by offering solar panel solutions.
The SIT, the commission suggested, strained much by dubious method to extricate Oommen Chandy from criminal liability and did not probe the involvement of other minister, government officials, central ministers, MLAs or police officials. The commission, set up in October 2013, had held 353 sittings, examined 214 witnesses and 972 documents.
