Kerala CM injured in stone pelting by CP(M) workers for solar panel scam

Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy on Sunday was injured in stone pelting by Communist Party of India (Marxist) workers, who were protesting against the solar panel scam here today.

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.