Oommen Chandy had already given a written statement to the judicial commission probing the solar scam
Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy was today questioned about whether his office or he had any direct role in a scam related to solar energy. Mr Chandy denied any links to the swindle in his testimony to a retired high court judge.
A couple named Biju Radhakrishnan and Saritha S Nair are accused of collecting crores from industrialists to whom they promised clean energy and solar panels. In 2013, it emerged that their scheme was a con-job. The opposition alleges that Mr Chandy's office and name were flaunted by the couple to land valuable contracts.
This is the first time that a Chief Minister in Kerala has been questioned by a judicial commission, news agency Press Trust of India reported.
Late last year, Mr Radhakrishnan, in jail for his wife's murder, told the judge investigating the scandal that Mr Chandy personally accepted nearly five crores from him as a bribe. More money was paid to the Chief Minister's aides, he claimed. Mr Chandy, who is from the Congress, has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing, but he was forced to fire three important aides in his office in connection with the scam.
The Chief Minister has testified that the alleged swindle "has not cost the exchequer even Rs 1." He said his relief fund received donations worth four lakhs from the couple charged with executing the solar scam.
Ahead of elections later this year, Mr Chandy's government is also being targeted for another scam -two of his ministers have quit over allegations that they helped 400 bars re-open after they had been ordered to close for sub-standard facilities.
Mr Radhakrishnan has testified that the Chief Minister offered to provide free land for a solar power project is he was guaranteed a chunk of profits. In earlier raids at Mr Chandy's office, investigators seized computers and hard drives as evidence in the case.