VS demands resignation of Chief Minister Chandy

With the solar panel scam linked to Chief Minister Oommen Chandy's office hotting up, CPI-M veteran and Opposition leader V S Achuthanandan today demanded his resignation and a judicial enquiry into the whole issue.
"As the CM's office and Chief Minister himself is under a cloud of allegation, the investigation being carried out by ADGP (South Zone) is inadequate. Only a judicial probe would bring out the truth," he told reporters here.
He alleged that the UDF ministry has become a cheating company and warned that LDF would launch an agitation in support of its demand for a judicial probe.

Achuthanandan alleged that telephone calls were being made from the landline in the Chief Minister's office to Saritha Nair, the woman arrested in connection with the scam, and that she had also made calls to the office.
"Under the circumstances, Chandy should explain his relation with Saritha Nair. Chandy is trying to put the blame on two personnel staff-- Tenny Joppan and gunman Slim Raj, whom
he removed after the scam broke out", Achuthanandan said.

He also said Chandy appointed Salim Raj, ignoring an intelligence report that he had a criminal background.
LDF Opposition has been raking up this issue in the assembly during the past few days.

The allegation involving the CM's office came to the fore after media reported the telephone calls made by the two staff members to Saritha Nair.
The woman was arrested in June 3 in connection with the financial cheating cases registered against her. She is now in judicial custody.
She and her estranged husband Biju Radhkrishnan, who is absconding had allegedly cheated a number of potential clients to the tune of crores of Rupees.
They promised to put up windmill farms and install solar panels in their buildings in return for large sums of money.
Since 2000, Saritha has allegedly been involved in more than 13 cases of cheating.

Meanwhile, police raided the house of Biju Radhakrishnan, the first accused in the case, at nearby Kottarakkara and the office of Saritha Nair in Thripunithura in Ernakulam district.
The raid was conducted as per the order of ADGP Hemachandran, head of the special investigating team entrusted to nab Biju, official sources said.