21 arrested for attack on Kerala CM, CPI(M) denies involvement

A day after Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy was injured in stone pelting in Kannaur by demonstrators protesting against the solar scam, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) on Monday denied allegations that their party workers were involved in the attack and asked the government to nab the culprits after an investigation into the incident.

"Our information is that none of our workers are involved in the incident. This is our firm belief. It is the responsibility of the government to find out the real culprit and to bring them before law. Now it is learnt that the government has foisted many forge cases against many of our leaders. Let us get the details then we will react to it," CPI (M) leader S. Ramachandran Pillai said.

Meanwhile, Kerala Home Minister Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan blamed the CPI (M) for Sunday's attack on the Chief Minister and confirmed that 21 people have been arrested in connection to the incident.

"Till now 21 persons have been arrested. All of them are CPM workers," Radhakrishnan said.

Radhakrishnan also confirmed that he had a meeting with the top police officers to upgrade the protection of the chief minister.

On August 13, during the Left Democratic Front's siege of the state secretariat at Thiruvananthapuram, Chandy had announced a judicial probe by a sitting judge of the High Court into the solar scam.

The CPI-M has demanded Chandy's resignation for his alleged role in the scam.

Chandy had earlier appealed to the LDF to call off its agitation in view of the decision to hold a judicial probe into the scam.

He said the government had made it clear earlier itself that it had an open mind on instituting any kind of probe once the Special Investigation Team (SIT) completed its ongoing criminal investigation into the scam.

Chandy, however, ruled out the possibility of his resignation while the judicial probe is on.

The solar scam pertains to cheating several persons amounting to crores of rupees by the main accused Saritha Nair, an actress and Director of Saritha Nair of Team Solar Energy Company , and her accomplice Biju Radhakrishnan by offering solar panel solutions.

It took a political turn with the arrest of one of Chandy's close personal aides, who has alleged links with the accused. Two other employees in his personal staff have also been removed in connection with the scam.