Kerala CM Oommen Chandy appears before Solar Judicial Commission

Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy appears before Solar inquiry commission in Thiruvananthapuram. The Chief Minister, whose office came under clouds of suspicion after the scam broke out, said he would return only after replying to all the questions. When asked if he or his office had any role in the scam, Chandy denied the charges.

Sivarajan was appointed by the Kerala government in October 2013 to probe the solar scam after reports surfaced in June 2013 that three of the chief minister’s office staff had contacts with a couple who cheated many investors by taking money for supplying solar panels to them. It was for the first time in the history of the state that a CM appeared before a commission, inquiring into corruption.

The CM, while jerking his hands off any such wrongdoings, said he is prepared to face any probe.

Chandy also said he came to know about the Team Solar Company and fraud committed by it only when the scam broke out.

The Commission, headed by retired High Court Judge Sivarajan, has examined several people, including politicians from the Opposition, on whether the government had suffered any financial loss due to the alleged deals.

With the arrest of a person believed to have close personal ties with Chandy and alleged to possess links with the accused, the scam took a political turn.

The two allegedly canvassed business by using high-level names including that of Chandy. While Saritha was granted bail after remaining behind bars for almost nine months, Radhakrishnan is still in jail.