Solar Scam : Kerala Court Orders FIR Against CM Chandy; Opposition Demands His Ouster
28 January, Thrissur
The Thrissur Vigilance Court Thursday ordered an F.I.R. to be filed against Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and Power Minister Aryadan Muhammed in the Solar scam case of 2013.
The court’s order follows yesterday’s revelations made by the scam’s prime accused Sarita Nair before the Justice Sivarajan Commission probing the case.
While deposing before the Justice Sivarajan Commission yesterday, Nair had claimed that she had paid bribes to the tune of Rs 1.90 crore to a close aide of the Chief Minister and Rs 40 lakh to the Power Minister. The court ordered filing of F.I.R. on a public interest litigation filed by one T.D. Joseph .
Reacting to the Court order Chief Minister Oommen Chandy who is currently in Kozhikode, has said this is a political conspiracy of the liquor lobby. Meanwhile, Opposition leader V. S. Achudanandan, has demanded that the Governor should oust the Oommen Chandy Government.
Solar scam pertains to cheating of several persons worth crores of rupees by Saritha Nair and her co-accused Biju Radhakrishnan by offering solar panel solutions.
Meanwhile, political heat grows in solar scam as opposition demands resignation of Kerala CM Oommen Chandy after Vigilance court’s order.
Briefing media in New Delhi , BJP leader and Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said, some accused involved in the scam have alleged that they had given bribe to Chandy.
She termed the charges leveled against the Chief Minister as serious.Ms Sitharaman alleged that current Congress Government in the state is reeling under corruption and Congress high command looks the other way. She also said that the Congress High Command should speak on the issue.
On the other hand, Congress today said there is no need for the Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy to resign in the wake of Thrissur Vigilance Court order to file an FIR against him in the alleged Solar scam.
Party spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala said, not a rupee of benefit was given by the State government to anyone. Surjewala said, being the election time in Kerala, mischievous and malicious allegations will continue to fly.