Solar scam case: Kerala CM directs to conduct probe against Chandy, other involved

Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala) [India], October 11 (ANI): Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Wednesday directed an enquiry against former chief minister Oommen Chandy and others in connection with the solar scam case.

"The solar scam enquiry commission finds former chief minister Oommen Chandy and his office were involved in the scam. A criminal case will be registered and a fresh inquiry will be conducted under the anti-corruption law," Vijayan said, while addressing the media.

Reportedly, Vijayan has directed the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) to conduct the probe.

Chandy and his staff members - Tenny Joppen, Jikkumon Jacob, and gunman Salim Raj - had allegedly helped the prime accused in the solar scam, Saritha S. Nair and Biju Radhakrishnan, cheat the clients.

The chief minister's directive has come days after the Commission headed by Justice G. Sivarajan, which probed the multi-crore scam, submitted its final report to him.

The case relates to swindling of lakhs from several people by Sarith S. Nair and her live-in partner Biju Radhakrishnan after promising to set up solar panels. They were business partners of Team Solar Renewable Energy Solutions Private Limited, a Kochi based firm.

Radhakrishan is another accused in the case.

They were arrested in October 2013 and in December 2016. The Judicial Magistrate Court in Perumbavoor had sentenced the duo to three years in prison and a fine of Rs. 10,000 each.

During investigation, the former chief minister and some of his cabinet colleagues were accused of taking a huge sum of money as a part of the deal. Chandy had deposed before the Commission in December 2016, saying that the charges against him were politically motivated. (ANI)