THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Close on the heels of the government’s disciplinary action in the backdrop of the Solar Commission report, DGP A Hemachandran called on Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Friday. Hemachandran was overseeing the investigation into the Solar scam. He had to face the music as he was transferred as the Managing Director of the KSRTC from the post of DGP (Crime Branch). The action was taken after he had criticised the action of the Justice Sivarajan Commission earlier by filing an affidavit during the Commission’s sitting.
According to sources, Hemachandran had expressed displeasure over the action taken by the government. He conveyed to the Chief Minister that he had only pointed out in the affidavit that the Commission’s haste in blaming the police investigation. However, he later told mediapersons he had only discussed matters related to the KSRTC.
Hemachandran submitted the affidavit earlier this year when he was the Director General of Fire and Rescue Services. He had pointed out the flaws of the Commission, including hiding of facts. Following this, the latter turned against him, the investigation team said. Hemachandran had criticised the Commission that it was relying on the letters written by one of the accused Saritha S Nair instead of considering the actual evidence collected by the probe team.
The SIT led by Hemachandran had probed 33 cases related to the scam. Apart from Hemachandran, ADGP K Padmakumar who was heading the Kerala Police Academy, has also been transferred as Managing Director of Marketfed. Meanwhile, the government is yet to constitute the fresh investigation team to probe the charges mentioned in the Commission report. Earlier, there were reports that state police chief Loknath Behera himself will oversee the probe. ADGP (North Zone) Rajesh Diwan has been entrusted to lead the investigation.
ComPlaint against CM for revealing victim’s name
T’Puram: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan is likely to face legal action for revealing the name of the victim in the sexual harassment case in connection with the Solar Commission report. On Friday, the state police received a complaint from Thrissur District Congress Committee seeking to register a criminal case against Pinarayi Vijayan. The complaint alleged Pinarayi had violated the law by revealing the name of a sexually harassed victim at a press conference. In his complaint, John Daniel, general secretary, Thrissur DCC, demanded the Thiruvananthapuram City Police Commissioner P Prakash to register a case under Section 228A (Disclosure of identity of the victim of certain offences) of the Indian Penal Code. Prakash told Express steps would be taken only after seeking a legal advice pertaining to the incident.
“I have received the complaint and we will take further measures based on legal opinion,” Prakash said. Pinarayi Vijayan had stated the name of the victim at a press conference on the action to be taken by the government against Congress leaders, including former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, based on the Solar Commission report. The report recommended to file criminal cases, including rape, against the Congress leaders.