(Eds: Updating story with law minister's quotes)Thiruvnanthapuram/Kochi, Oct 14 (PTI) Kerala Law MinisterA K Balan today brushed aside Oommen Chandy's demand for acopy of the report on the solar scam probe in which the ex-chief minister is an accused, saying there is no obligation toprovide such documents to those facing charges.
The minister's response comes after Chandy alleged thathe was being denied "natural justice" by the CPI-M-led LDFgovernment which refused to provide him a copy of the inquiryreport.
The multi-crore solar panel scam relates to a fraudulentcompany collecting money from people by leveraging itsconnections with top government officials. A vigilance probehas been announced against Chandy in this case.
Balan told reporters in Thiruvananthapuram that copies ofthe report of the Justice G Sivarajan commission will not bemade public till it is tabled in the state assembly.
"There are no rules which stipulate that those facingcharges have to be given copies," he said.
Chandy said at Kochi, "We have sought copies of thecommission report under Right to Information Act and if it isnot provided, would approach chief minister for a copy."Balan said since the report has not been placed in theHouse, "through RTI also, a copy of the report cannot begiven."Soon after the government ordered a probe into thescam on October 11, Chandy had moved an application before thestate chief secretary seeking a copy of the report on thescam under the relevant provisions of the RTI Act.
"Haven't got the report so far. It is denial of naturaljustice," Chandy, who is preparing for a legal battle againstthe government on the issue, said.
Responding to the former chief minister's charge, Balansaid the solar report would first be tabled in the House.
"Until the report is tabled in the assembly, copies ofthe same will not be handed out to anyone," he said. Chandyhas also been informed about this, he added.
Besides Chandy, the government had on October 11 ordereda vigilance and SIT probe against two of his former cabinetcolleagues -- Aryadan Mohammed and Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan-- in connection with the multi-crore scam.
Chandy and other Congress leaders have said they willchallenge the decision.
Two former Congress MLAs -- Benny Behanan and ThampanoorRavi -- had also been brought under the ambit of the SITprobe.
The commission was appointed by the previous OommenChandy government after allegations surfaced about the dupingof several people of crores of rupees by prime accused SarithaNair and Biju Radhakrishnan who offered them solar panelsolutions.
Announcing the probe, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayanhad said a criminal case would be registered and the "SIT willprobe allegations of rape levelled by Saritha against somepoliticians in her letter on July 17, 2013."Former KPCC president V M Sudheeran said "the situationafter the report has come out is serious.""The seriousness of the situation has been communicatedto the Congress leadership," he said, adding there was no needfor a public debate on the matter. PTI UD TGB BNBSA.
This is unedited, unformatted feed from the Press Trust of India wire.