Solar scam: Commission to recall, examine former CM Chandy

A judicial commission probing the solar panel scam today decided to "recall" and examine former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and 20 other witnesses again "considering the evidences available with the commission".
A commission source said that Justice G Sivarajan Commission probing the scam also decided to examine 28 new witnesses, including UDF convenor P P Thankachan.
Twenty-one witnesses, including Chandy, his former gunman Salim Raj and his former personal staff member Jikkumon have already been examined and they will be recalled "as certain aspects has to be clarified again" following revelations of prime accused Saritha S Nair during her disposition before the panel, as well as "documentary and oral evidences available with the commission".

The Commission has also decided to examine Saritha again, the source said.
Chandy, during his stint as state Chief Minister, had deposed before the Commission in January this year.
During the deposition, he had maintained that the charges against him and his office were 'politically motivated' and denied any wrong-doing.

The then Kochi-based commission had held the sitting in Thiruvananthapuram at the Government Guest house to enable Chandy to depose before it.
Government had appointed retired High Court judge Sivarajan as the one-man commission on October 23, 2013 to probe the scam, pertaining to alleged cheating worth crores of rupees by Saritha and Biju Radhakrishnan by offering solar panel solutions.

The two allegedly canvassed business by using high level names, including that of Chandy.
While Saritha was granted bail after remaining behind bars for some nine months, Radhakrishnan is still in jail in connection with the alleged murder of his wife.