THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The report of the state Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL), which ruled out a short circuit as the reason for the August 25 fire incident at the Secretariat, has proven true the BJP's allegations that crucial files were deliberately set on fire, party state president K Surendran has said.
In a statement, Surendran demanded that Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan give a proper explanation in the wake of the FSL report which was submitted in court.
"The BJP had pointed out that it was a deliberate move on the part of the government to scuttle the probe into the gold smuggling case. A circular issued by the General Administration Department (GAD) a month ago had warned of the possibility of a fire," Surendran said.
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The BJP president said the GAD circular was similar to the circular issued by Chief Secretary Vishwas Mehta justifying the Chief Minister's statement that CCTV visuals from the Secretariat were destroyed in lightning.
Surendran asked Pinarayi to explain how an additional secretary could clearly state which files were burnt even when the fire was still raging. He said the NIA should find out whether crucial files relating to gold smuggling and Life Mission apartment scam were destroyed in the fire.
"Now it is clear why the Chief Secretary drove away the media and party leaders from the Secretariat. The Chief Minister, who ordered a probe against the media and myself for entering the Secretariat, has now landed in the dock," the BJP leader said.