Solar scam: reprieve for Oommen Chandy, Aryadan Mohammed

Thiruvananthapuram: Beleaguered Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and Electricity Minister Aryadan Mohammed got a reprieve from High Court on Friday.

Single Bench P. Ubaid stayed the order of the Thrissur Enquiry Commissioner and Special Judge (Vigilance) S. S. Vasan to register a case against Mr. Chandy and Mohammed, in view of disclosures by accused in the solar scam Saritha S. Nair before the Judicial Commission enquiring into the solar scam.

The judge also came down heavily on the Special Judge for issuing the order to file FIR without caring for the basics of jurisprudence. The stay is for two months.

Meanwhile, DYFI activists, protesting against the Chief Minister, clashed with police at different centres including Thiruvananthapuram, Kozhikode, Alappuzha and Thrissur. Battle like scenes were witnessed in Thiruvananthapuram and Kozhikode with the protestors throwing stones at the police and police retaliating with tear gas, water cannons and lathi-charge. Both police men and DYFI workers were injured.

Deposition of Saritha Nair continued before the Enquiry Commission on the third day. Ms. Nair told the Commission that both Mr. Mohammed and Mr. Chandy had helped her to get contracts and payments. She also raised allegations against Chief Minister's son Chandy Oommen with whom she said she had only a business relationship. The Chief Minister has asked her to form a society with Mr. Oommen as a director for doing solar panel business.