THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The judicial probe report has exposed a bunch of lies told by former chief minister
Oommen Chandy about the
solar scam including the one that he didn't have any acquaintance with
Saritha Nair. The commission finds that Saritha and
Biju Radhakrishnan
had paid Rs. 2.16 crore as bribe to
Chandy
in several instalments through his trusted lieutenants.
It also makes damaging revelation that Chandy was aware of Saritha's criminal past. Saritha had met Chandy thrice and the commission could prove this before Chandy during his cross examination.
Chandy had told the commission that he came to know about Saritha only after her arrest but the statements from Biju Radhakrishnan and Tenny Jopan have made it clear that Saritha S Nair had met Chandy at his office. It was Tenny Jopan who took the initiative to arrange the meeting. Even Thomas Kuruvila, a close aide of Chandy, had connection with Saritha and she had handed over Rs 40 lakh to him to be given to Chandy.
The report further says that Chandy had introduced Saritha to power minister Aryadan Mohammed for obtaining favours. The evidence for this could be found in the CDs of annual function of the KSEB engineers' association held at Kodimatha. Power minister Aryadan Mohammed while inaugurating the function, in which Saritha S Nair was also on stage, is seen looking at her and stating that the CM had sent them in connection with their projects.
"This part of the CD was played to Oomnen Chandy when he was examined. He admitted that Aryadan Mohammed has made the statement as per the speech in the CD," the report said.
Justice Sivarajan has found that there is substance in the allegation that Oommen Chandy, his office, personal staff members Tenny Joppen amd Jikkumon Jacob, gunman Salim Raj, close party workers Benny Behanan, Thampanoor Ravi and Thomas Kuruvilla, his aide in Delhi, are all party to the solar scam deals of the prime accused Saritha S Nair and Biju Radhakrishnan in one way or the other, the commission found.
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