Kerala govt plans to seek legal opinion on multi-crore solar scam report

Thiruvananthapuram: The CPM-led LDF government in Kerala on Wednesday decided to seek legal opinion on a report filed by the judicial commission that probed the multi-crore solar scam. The cabinet resolved to elicit the opinion of the State Advocate General and Prosecution Director-General on the report submitted by a commission headed by Justice (ret) G Sivarajan on 26 September, an official release said on Wednesday. [caption id=“attachment_4073503” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File image of Pinarayi Vijayan. PTI[/caption] The next step on the report would be taken only after getting the legal opinion and the same would also be placed in the cabinet, the release said. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has informed the cabinet about the receipt of the commission report of 1,073 pages, the release added. The commission was appointed by the previous Oommen Chandy government after allegations of fraud worth crores of rupees were made against prime accused Saritha Nair and her accomplice Biju Radhakrishnan. The duo allegedly duped people by offering solar panel solutions through advanced payments and used the names of political higher-ups, including that of former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, to canvas business. The CPM-led LDF, then in opposition, had launched an agitation following reports of Saritha’s links with the office of the chief minister. Several politicians, including then chief minister Oommen Chandy, were among those examined by the commission. The scam turned political after two employees in Chandy’s office were removed for their alleged links with the prime accused in the case. Chandy had maintained that the charges against him and his office were “politically motivated” and had denied any wrongdoing. Set up in October 2013, the commission had held 353 sittings, examined 214 witnesses and 972 documents.