Kerala govt to seek legal advice on solar scam report

Thiruvananthapuram:  The CPI(M)-led LDF government in Kerala today decided to seek legal opinion on a report filed by the judicial commission that probed the multi-crore solar scam. The cabinet resolved to elicit the opinion of the State Advocate General and Prosecution Director General on the report submitted by a commission headed by Justice (ret) G Sivarajan on September 26, an official release said here today.

The next step on the report would be taken only after getting the legal opinion and the same would also be placed in the cabinet, the release said. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has informed the cabinet about the receipt of the commission report of 1073 pages, the release added.

The commission was appointed by the previous Oommen Chandy government after allegations of fraud worth crores of rupees were made against prime accused Saritha Nair and her accomplice Biju Radhakrishnan. The duo allegedly duped people by offering solar panel solutions through advanced payments and used the names of political higher-ups, including that of former Chief Minster Oommen Chandy, to canvas business.

The CPI(M)-led LDF, then in opposition, had launched an agitation following reports of Saritha’s links with the office of the chief minister. Several politicians, including then chief minister Oommen Chandy, were among those examined by the commission. The scam turned political after two employees in Chandy’s office were removed for their alleged links with the prime accused in the case.

Chandy had maintained that the charges against him and his office were “politically motivated” and had denied any wrongdoing. Set up in October, 2013, the commission had held 353 sittings, examined 214 witnesses and 972 documents.