In an unusual move, the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate (Narcotics) N V Raju, against whom Kerala High Court's Vigilance Registrar has begun a probe for alleged 'procedural lapses' in the Solar panel scam case, today urged the Chief Judicial Magistrate to relieve him.
Raju in a plea to the CJM said he was not keen to hear the arguments in the case and hence should be recused.
However, since the chargesheet in the case has not yet been filed, the CJM said Raju's plea can be considered only after that.
The probe against the ACJM was ordered following two complaints filed in the High Court alleging that the magistrate had refused to record the statement of solar panel scam accused Saritha S Nair, despite hearing her for about 20 minutes in-camera.
Vigilance Registrar, S Mohandas, had two days ago taken the statements of two court officials and a civil police officer, who have denied having heard anything what Saritha had said before the magistrate. Some court records were also seized.
