SIT of Kerala Police probing solar panel cheating case: Chandy

Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy has said the Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the state police is probing the solar panel cheating case.

Chandy, who was addressing a press conference here, said the solar scam involves cheating to the tune of seven crore rupees and the government has not lost a single rupee.

"14 cases were registered during the LDF regime and they did not pursue the probe. After the UDF Government came to power,probe was expedited and culprits have been arrested and chargesheeted," he added.

The Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) yesterday continued to press its demand for Chandy's resignation over the solar panel scam.

"The announcement made by the Secretariat of the CPM on the solar scam, is supposed to be the biggest corruption case in Kerala. Therefore Chief Minister should resign for proper examination of whole solar scam episode," said Pinarayi Vijayan, a leader of the Kerala state unit of the Communist Party of India in Thiruvanthapuram.

Earlier, the opposition had threatened to lay an indefinite siege of the secretariat from Monday demanding Chandy's resignation over the solar panel scam.

As a result, the state administration has sought deployment of additional personnel of paramilitary personnel.

The Central Stadium adjacent to the secretariat complex is the main venue of Independence Day celebrations, to be attended by the Governor, Chief Minister and other dignitaries.

Chandy had earlier last month assured that stringent punishment would be given to those found guilty in the solar panels supply and execution scam.

The Left Democratic Front in Kerala had earlier demanded a judicial probe in the matter.

The solar scam pertains to cheating several persons amounting to crores of rupees by Saritha Nair 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.