Solar scam: vigilance court orders registration of FIR against Chandy

The Enquiry Commission & Special Judge Vigilance Court, Thrissur, Kerala, has directed the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) to file FIR against Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and Power Minister Aryadan Mohammed in connection with the disclosures of solar scam accused Saritha S. Nair, regarding the bribes she is said to have paid to them through their aides.

This has virtually plunged the United Democratic Front (UDF) government into a major crisis, as the Thursday morning directive posed a question mark on the Chief Minister’s continuation in office, especially in the context of the precedent set by his former Cabinet colleague K. Babu who put in his papers when the same court asked the VACB to file an FIR in the bar bribery case.

The court has asked the VACB to file or a report on February 14 on a petition filed by a socialist activist P.D. Joseph demanding the court’s intervention on the basis of the disclosures of Ms. Saritha.

Saritha reveals more names

In the meantime, Ms. Saritha continued with her disclosures against the Chief Minister for the second day, naming some of his close aides such as Thampanoor Ravi and Benny Behanan, MLA, for allegedly trying to influence her.

The developments also triggered a major agitation by the Democratic Youth Federation of India, youth wing of the Communist Party of India (Marxist). Activists of the DYFI laid a siege to State Secretariat, forcing the police to resort to caning and use of teargas. Activists also tried to block the Chief Minister’s programmes in Kozhikode and Malappuram.