Former lawmakers and police officers will also be investigated for trying to shelter Oommen Chandy
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has ordered an investigation against his predecessor Oommen Chandy, saying the judicial commission report on the Solar Scam shows enough evidence of corruption by the former Chief Minister and his personal staff. A dozen former lawmakers and police officers will also be investigated for trying to shelter Mr Chandy, the Chief Minister said today.
The cases will be filed by the state's Vigilance department under the anti-corruption laws and the matter will be re-investigated, the Chief Minister said.
Mr Chandy, who had deposed before the commission, led by Justice G Sivaraj, for around 12 hours in January 2016, had been the one to appoint it in October 2013. The report was submitted to the CPM-led government on September 26, 2017. .
Among those against whom Mr Vijayan has ordered criminal cases to be filed, is former Home Minister Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan. The Chief Minister said according to the probe report, he pressurized police officers to shelter Oommen Chandy.
Criminal cases will also be filed against former lawmakers Thampanoor Ravi and Benny Behanan for allegedly trying to shelter Oommen Chandy.
The government has also ordered that cases be filed against more than 10 lawmakers and former Union ministers of the Congress, who have been named in a letter released by Saritha Nair, the main accused in Solar Scam, in August 2017.
Quoting the Commission report, Mr Vijayan said, "Those who have not taken bribes from Saritha Nair but have sought sexual favours, can also be dealt with under anti-corruption rules". Sexual favours, the Chief Minister said, should be considered as bribe.
Con-couple Saritha Nair and Biju Radhakrishnan had allegedly duped several businessmen of crores of rupees by promising solar panels at cheap rates. They had got the contracts by claiming proximity to Mr Chandy.