Kerala Cabinet today finalised the terms and reference for the judicial probe into the solar panel scam but did not specify under its purview the Chief Minister and his office which had come under a cloud over the multi-crore rupee fraud.
Announcing the details of the terms and references, which focussed on all allegations raised inside and outside the assembly over the scam, Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, however, maintained "both my office and I" have come under its ambit.
"When we say all allegations raised in the House and outside, what it means?" he said. "Charges were levelled against the Chief Minister's office and me", he said adding not the accused persons in the case.
"Now it was the for the opposition or any person to approach the Judicial Commission and give evidences in support of their charges", Chandy said when asked about the main demand of CPI-M-led LDF on the inclusion of the Chief Minster's Office and Chandy under the purview of the Commission.
Solar scam pertains to cheating of several persons of crores of rupees by one Saritha S Nair and her accomplice Biju Radhakrishnan, both now under judicial custody, by offering solar panel solutions by allegedly flaunting their 'clout' in the CM's office.
The case that came to light in June last took a political turn as three of Chandy's staff members were forced to quit office over their alleged link with the prime accused Saritha Nair, prompting the opposition to press for Chandy's resignation.
Among them, Chandy's personal assistant Tenny Joppan was arrested.
Seizing the issue, LDF launched a series of agitations demanding the resignation of Chandy culminating in the siege of secretriate by thousands of front volunteers for two days in August last which forced the government to announce the judicial probe.
