Period of Solar probe commission extended by six months

The Kerala cabinet today decided to extend by six months the period of the Justice Sivarajan Commission probing the solar panel scam, which had rocked the state last year.
Chief Minister Oommen Chandy announced the extension of the Commission period after a cabinet meeting here.
The Commission, headed by retired Kerala High Court judge G Sivarajan, has been entrusted to examine whether government suffered any financial loss due to the alleged deals.
The Commission was set up in October 2013 for a period of six months and later extended to six months.
The case relates to duping of several persons by the two prime accused Saritha S Nair and Biju Radhakrishnan after promising to install solar power panels for them.

While Saritha was out on bail after being in prison for some nine months, Biju Radhakrishnan is in jail in connection with the murder of his former wife.
After the scam broke out, the opposition had demanded Chandy's resignation as the names of two of his personal staff had come up during the probe.
The CPI(M)-led LDF opposition had demanded a probe by a sitting judge of the High Court, which was turned down by the court, following which a former judge was appointed to head the Commission.