Solar Scam: Relief for Chandy, HC puts on hold order to file FIR
BY M Post Bureau30 Jan 2016 12:21 AM GMT
M Post Bureau30 Jan 2016 12:21 AM GMT
In a reprieve for Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, the Kerala high court on Friday stayed the lodging of an FIR against him and another minister in the solar scam case with strictures against the vigilance judge, who offered to quit.
Apparently stung by strong observations against him by the High Court, Vigilance Judge SS Vassan, who had ordered the filing of an FIR against Chandy and Power Minister Arayadan Mohammed, sought permission for voluntary retirement, 16 months before his tenure ends in May 2017.
The High Court, while staying the Vigilance Court order, observed that the “court suffers jurisdiction errors” and also asked the administration section to consider action against the Vigilance Court Judge.
Shortly after hearing the verdict, a jubilant Chandy said: “Truth will always prevail” and reiterated that the charges against him were part of a “political conspiracy”. Since Thursday, the state has been witnessing violent protests by the CPI(M), led LDF opposition and its youth organisations, demanding Chandy’s resignation.
In the wake of state-wide protests against him, Chandy cancelled all his programmes on Friday, had confined himself to his official residence Cliff House. Soon after the verdict, Chandy said he was harbouring no ill will towards anybody and was confident of coming out clean.
Chandy, who had earlier alleged that the charges against him were part of a “conspiracy” by a section of bar owners and CPI-M, said “it was of the lowest order and a shame to Kerala.”
Hitting out at the Opposition for their statements that appearance of the Chief Minister before the Judicial Commission, probing solar scam was a disgrace to state, Chandy said the conspiracy was by a section of the liquor lobby, who were unhappy due to the closing down of several bars.
The allegation levelled by solar scam accused Saritha S Nair that Rs 10 crore had been offered to her to level charges by CPI-M against his government was true, Chandy said.
The government would initiate steps to find the source of “conspiracy”, Chandy said.
Claiming that the recent developments in the scam had not affected the UDF government’s image, Chandy said, “The strength of UDF is the unity of the lead partner Congress and its allies.”
Amidst allegations that he had met Saritha on certain occasions, Chandy said he was in public life for the past 50 years. “Several issues come before me daily which I look into. My way of functioning is that if a mistake or lapse is pointed out, I immediately rectify it,” he said.
Asked if he had committed any mistake on the solar issue, Chandy reiterated that he had done nothing wrong. “I came to know about the fraud only after the case came up. I move with people not after going through their past. My style is that when 100 matters come....I take decisions on all. In that, some time 10 decisions may go wrong. But I am able to take decision on 90 correct issues. If I go through in detail in all 100 matters, I will be able to take decision only on 10 issues,” he said.
Asked if the LDF would use the scam as a weapon to attack the UDF in the upcoming state Assembly polls, Chandy said, “Allegations come and at the same time, vanishes with high speed. What was the situation in Kerala yesterday? What is the situation now? People of the state will understand everything,” he said. On Congress high-command backing him, Chandy said the it supported him on the basis of inputs the leaders have received. They know Kerala politics, he said. Asked if UDF would come back to power, Chandy asserted that there was no doubt it.
Meanwhile, students and youth activists on Friday staged protests across the state, demanding Chandy’s resignation. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) also attacked the Congress’ top brass over the scam, alleging that Sonia and Rahul Gandhi were protecting “corrupt” Chandy as they lacked moral authority to act against him since they too were facing graft charges in National Herald case.
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