Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy was questioned by a judicial commission about the solar scam. (PTI photo)
A bribe of nearly two crores was paid to the personal staff of Chief Minister Oommen Chandy for the politician, testified a woman who is accused, along with her partner, of engineering Kerala's "
solar scam".
Saritha Nair, who was arrested in 2013 and then granted bail, made her disclosure today before a retired high court judge appointed to investigate the solar scam, which has pummelled the Congress-led government ahead of state elections this year.
Adding a new spike, a leaked audio tape has been played on local media that has Congress spokesperson Tampanoor Ravi advising Ms Nair to "play safe" in her testimony when she is cross-questioned. The politician denied that his remarks are evidence of him trying to coach Ms Nair. "I spoke to Saritha Nair just like I speak to anyone who calls me. She has earlier said in public that the Chief Minister is like a father to her. Therefore, I have no reason to try and influence her. "
Ms Nair testified today that the Chief Minister's staff sought a bribe of seven crores for him, of which she paid 1.9 crores, a claim Mr Chandy has denounced as baseless, while reiterating that he suspended three aides whose actions appear suspect.
Mr Chandy, who belongs to the Congress,
spent nearly 11 hours being questioned on Monday about his alleged links to the con job, which was centred on industrialists being promised solar panels at cheap rates by Ms Nair and Biju Radhakrishnan, who she was romantically involved with. The couple used the Chief Minister's name and flaunted an alleged proximity to him to land valuable contracts.
"Saritha Nair could have said all these things several times before the (judicial) commission. But she never did that. Suddenly what happened?" asked the Chief Minister.
With assembly elections due in Kerala this year, Mr Chandy is seen as making a
strong political statement by deposing; he had requested an early hearing.