Bengaluru court summons ex-Kerala CM Chandy on 13 Dec in solar project cheating case

Bengaluru: A city court on Monday directed former Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy to appear before it in connection with a solar project cheating case. Additional City Civil and Sessions Court Judge NR Channakeshava directed Chandy to be present on 13 December. [caption id=“attachment_3118234” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Former Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy. AFP[/caption] On 24 October, the court had directed six persons, including Chandy, and a firm to together pay an amount of Rs 1,60,85,700 to a Bengaluru-based businessman MK Kuruvilla, with 12 percent interest, for a solar project that did not materialise. Chandy had filed two applications appealing against the earlier verdict. The first plea challenged the court’s ex-parte order and the second sought that his arguments be heard. Earlier, holding Chandy jointly liable for paying back the money to the petitioner in the case by a firm for a solar power project which did not materialise, the court had said “six defendants, including Chandy and SCOSSA Educational Consultants Private Limited, shall pay the decreetal (ordered) sum Rs 1,60,85,700 to the plaintiff with current and future interest at 12 per cent per annum.” The court had said the defendants must comply with the order within six months failing which Kuruvilla will be entitled to recover the determined amount from the defendants, in accordance with law. Kuruvilla had filed a petition last year seeking return of Rs 1,60,85,700 deposited with SCOSSA Educational Consultants Private Limited, the first defendant, for setting up a solar power project in Kerala. According to Kuruvilla, during 2011, he got acquainted with one Binu Nair who claimed to be the director of Kochi-based SCOSSA. Nair had approached him for setting up a solar power project. Nair had claimed that one of the directors, Andrews, was Chandy’s first cousin and would be appointed consultant and operate from Abu Dhabi for setting up the project. Also, he had named another person Diljith and claimed that he too was a director in the firm besides being a youth Congress activist. Nair had claimed Diljith was the private secretary to Chandy. Kuruvilla had said he gave Rs 1.35 crore to the three persons. After the money was handed over, the trio did not answer his phone calls and allegedly threatened that his entire family would be eliminated. The Bengaluru-based businessman, in his petition, had sought Rs 1,60,85,700 with 18 per cent interest per annum on the deposited sum along with court expenses. The court allowed the plea with an interest of 12 percent.