Solar scam accused Saritha to show 'original letter'

Describing as fake a letter shown by TV channels on Monday accusing Kerala Finance Minister K.M. Mani's son Jose K. Mani and other politicians of exploiting her, Saritha Nair, accused in the solar panel scam in Kerala, said on Tuesday that she will show the original letter that she has written.

Nair told media here that a particular TV channel edited her telephonic conversation to make it appear that the letter shown on Monday was an original.

"Today evening (Tuesday) I will show the original letter that I have written, to prove that the letter that came out on Monday is fake, released by vested interests to take advantage of the political situation in the state. I do not want to be part of any political game," said Nair.

In the two-page letter, purportedly written by Nair and shown by TV channels on Monday, she has accused Kerala Finance Minister K.M. Mani's son Jose K. Mani, the Lok Sabha member from Kottayam, and other politicians of exploiting her.

On Tuesday even as Nair was addressing media persons, TV channels released another two pages of the purported letter alleging that Congress ministers and legislators also sexually exploited her.

"What has appeared on TV channels is not the letter I had written. When I feel like revealing the names of all those who exploited me, I will do so. But no one can force me," said Nair.

Nair and her live-in partner Biju Radhakrishnan are accused of cheating many investors promising to supply them with solar panels worth millions of rupees.

The Rs.7 crore solar panel scam that surfaced in 2013 had rocked the Oommen Chandy government as three of his staff members were found to have links with Nair. The three were sacked by Chandy.

While Nair is out on bail, Radhakrishnan is yet to get bail.

Jose K. Mani told reporters in the state capital on Tuesday that neither he nor his party is going to be cowed down by this sort of political blackmailing.

Trouble has been brewing in Kerala politics, ever since P.C. George, government chief whip and vice-chairman of Kerala Congress (Mani) had a tiff with Mani.

The surfacing of this letter is believed to be aimed at putting pressure on Chandy and Mani to not sack George.

While speculation is rife that George is behind the letter, he has flatly denied it and said: "I feel sorry that this letter has surfaced now. A senior ruling front political leader knows that I have nothing to do with this letter."

Nair, George and Jose K. Mani have all demanded that the Central Bureau of Investigation should probe the veracity of the letter.

CPI-M state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan demanded that the police should confiscate the letter and hand it over to the judicial panel probing the solar panel scam.