Even as the ruling Congress party in Kerala rallies behind Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and Power Minister Aryadan Mohammed against bribery allegations in connection with the solar fraud, details of call records confirmed by key accused Saritha S Nair are likely to leave the ruling coalition cornered during the ongoing Assembly session.
After their boycott of the Governor’s customary policy address on Friday, the Opposition Left Democratic Front is set to return to the House next week, armed with “revelations” to hound the scam-hit government.
According to call lists from years 2012 and 2013 generated during the ongoing judicial probe into the scam, Saritha had telephonic communication with the CM and his office with over 2,800 calls made during the period.
More than 130 calls were made between Saritha’s two mobile phones and the official residence of Chandy and 1,736 calls to and from the phone of Tenny Joppan, a former member of the CM’s staff who was later removed from office in connection with the scam.
As per the list, 81 calls were made to and from Power Minister Aryadan Mohammed’s phone. Saritha alleges that she paid Rs 1.9 crore and Rs 40 lakh as bribe to Chandy and Mohammed respectively, in return of decisions favourable to Team Solar, the company she led with co-accused Biju Radhakrishnan.
Panel to question leader
The judicial commission probing into Kerala’s controversial solar scam will examine a senior Congress party leader over allegations that he tried to “tutor” key accused Saritha S Nair before her deposition to the commission.
The G Sivarajan Commission will examine Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee general secretary Thampanoor Ravi on February 12.
Saritha on January 27 had deposed before the Commission that Ravi, a leader identified with Chief Minister Oommen Chandy’s camp, told her to “repeat” what Chandy had earlier told the commission about his links with her.
After an audio clip consisting Ravi’s conversation with Saritha was released, the Congress leader clarified that it was Saritha who called him. He, however, did not disown contents of the clip.
State Police Chief T P Senkumar turned down a request by Leader of the Opposition V S Achuthanandan to register a case against Ravi.
On Saturday, the commission allowed accused Biju Radhakrishnan to examine Saritha. Speaking with reporters, Saritha said she was approached with “a Rs 10-crore offer” by a man who claimed he was sent by senior CPM leader E P Jayarajan.
“The money was offered to me to speak up on the cases,” Saritha said. Jayarajan denied having tried to approach Saritha with any offer.
DH News Service
