Provide opportunity to accused to meet counsel: HC

Kerala High Court today directed Director General of Prosecutions to provide directions to police to provide opportunity to solar scam accused Saritha S Nair to meet her counsel to prepare her written statement.

The oral direction in this regard was made by Justice S S Sateeshchandran when the bail petition by television actress and former Censor Board member Shalu Menon came up before the court.

The DGP, T Asaf Ali informed the court that police do not want Saritha Nair's further custody and she would be produced before Muvattupuzha Magistrate court today itself.

The court then directed him to give a report by 1.45 PM today.

Two judges of the court had in separate cases made some sharp observations with regard to the case yesterday, causing embarrassment to the UDF government led by Oommen Chandy.

Yesterday Justice Sateeschandran was critical of the manner in which the police inquiry into the case was progressing without coordination. The judge had made it clear that he would not hesitate to summon ADGP A Hemachandran, who heads the SIT probing the case.

The court had said Saritha Nair, second accused in the case, was not allowed to submit a written statement ever after the Economic Offences Court here, on her plea, had permitted her to do so and instead took her to Kothamangalam magistrate court and obtained her police custody. This was 'suspicious' and a 'shameful' act of police, the judge had held.