KOCHI: Solar scam accused Saritha Nair gave Rs 30 lakh to Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, from the amount she swindled from the public, said P C George MLA here on Tuesday, quoting a letter he said was written by Saritha. “She handed over the money to Chandy at the Cliff House. I will reveal further details of the transaction later,” said the expelled government Chief Whip after deposing before the Commission inquiring into the Solar scam. “According to the letter, Electricity and Transport Minister Aryadan Muhammed also received the ‘solar share’. There is mention about Rural Development Minister K C Joseph as well in the letter, but it does not say that he took money,” George revealed.
He said he told the Commission that Saritha had used the Chief Minister’s office and the CM himself to lend credence to her tainted business, and that the money she obtained through it was distributed among several leaders in the ruling dispensation.
“When she was arrested, the police did not recover any money from her person or from her house. The money she had was robbed by these leaders,” George said, adding that he came to know about the matter from ‘her letter’. “Some of the cases registered against Saritha were also settled by these leaders who are close to her,” he said, reiterating that her scam runs into ‘thousands of crores of rupees.’
He pointed out that when he said that Anto Antony MP had planned to set up a solar energy solutions firm along with Eerattupetta-based businessman Saji Abraham, Antony said he did not know Saji. “But, it was from Saji’s account that the hotel bills of Anto and his wife were paid when they visited Singapore and Sri Lanka,” George said, adding that he had submitted copies of the hotel bills before the Commission.
“If the Commission wants to know the full extent of the scam, it should examine the call details of Oommen Chandy, Aryadan Muhammed, K C Joseph, Anto Antony, Jose K Mani MP and the Chief Minister’s personal staff Teny Joppan, Jikkumon and Salimraj,” he said.
Tremors Halt Panel Sitting
The sitting held to cross examine the witnesses in the Solar case was postponed on Tuesday, after tremors were felt inside the building that houses the Commission.