Public Interest in the appointment of Judicial commission: HC

: Kerala High court today orally observed that as far as government was concerned there is public interest in the appointment of the Judicial Inquiry Commission to probe the Solar Panel scam.
Justice A M Shaffique made this observation when a petition by Saritha S Nair, prime accused in the scam, seeking to set aside the appointment of the commission, came up before the court.
The court held that if the petitioner had any complaint against the commission, she can very well submit it before the commission.
The appointment of the judicial commission was made under the Commission of Inquiry Act under the control of government.

The court also said the petitioner is not the target of the commission.
During the course of arguments, even though the petitioner's counsel sought for a direction to produce the files relating to the commission's appointment, the court declined it.

The case has been posted to next week.
Alleging that constitution of the commission was 'politically motivated' and violated her rights, Saritha had approached the court seeking to set aside its appointment.
According to the petitioner, the proceedings of the commission, headed by Justice S Sivarajan, retired High Court judge, would directly affect her rights as accused. She had to abide with the commission's directions which was 'violative of protection given to an accused by the Constitution'.

The constitution of the commission and examination of the petitioner would cause serious prejudice to the her as she is facing prosecution before different courts, the petitioner had submitted.
Saritha and co-accused Biju Radhakrishnan had allegedly cheated several investors in Kerala promising to install solar energy solutions and wind energy farms.
The Oommen Chandy government had to face the heat after the scam came to light in June last year, as three of his personal staff were found to be involved.
The opposition had disrupted the proceedings of the state assembly for days demanding Chandy's resignation.