Not allergic to judicial probe in solar scam: Chandy

Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy Saturday said that he was not allergic to a judicial probe into what is called the solar scam.

"At the moment, a police investigation is on. The Left opposition is not interested in the truth; all they want is to cash in on the matter politically. First, let the police probe report come out. If people are not happy with that probe report, we are not averse to a judicial probe," Chandy said, addressing Congress workers here.

Chandy has been facing ire in the matter, as the Left opposition has called for his resignation, and pressed for a judicial probe.

The Kerala government has ordered a probe into the dealings of Saritha S. Nair and her live-in partner Biju Radhakrishnan, who are currently under arrest for having defrauded several investors on the promise of providing solar panels at subsidised rates. The telephone call records of Saritha Nair showed that she had been in regular and frequent touch with members of the chief minister's personal staff.

While one member of the chief minister's staff has been arrested in this connection, two others have been sacked.

Saritha S. Nair Saturday made a statement before a magistrate at a court in Kochi. The court directed her counsel and court staff not to divulge the contents of her statement to the press.

Chandy has claimed that he has been given the clean chit by the Congress high command in this case, and would have no qualms resigning if that was what the party high command desired.

Meanwhile, there are indications that a cabinet reshuffle is on the cards. State Congress chief Ramesh Chennithala is likely to be inducted into the cabinet.

CPI party leader in the assembly C. Divakaran said that the stance of his party had not changed: "Our demand stands. First, let Chandy quit. Then, let the judicial probe start," he said, while speaking in the assembly.