Kerala solar scam accused says he gave Chandy Rs55m

LATEST CLAIMS COME AS RULING FRONT FACES GRAFT ALLEGATIONS

Corruption accusations reached a new peak in Kerala yesterday as an accused in the solar scam, Biju Radhakrishnan alleged that he had paid a whopping Rs55 million (Dh3 million) to chief minister Oommen Chandy.

The chief minister’s office did not react immediately.

The latest claims come as the Congress-led United Democratic Front has been struggling to extricate itself from a series of corruption allegations — from the solar scam to the liquor bar bribery scandal.

Ironically, the allegation came shortly after the Opposition was railing the government in the state assembly yesterday morning, demanding the resignation of excise minister K. Babu for his alleged involvement in the liquor bar bribery case. Finance minister K.M. Mani was forced to step down last month after allegations that he had accepted Rs10 million from the liquor bar owners.

‘Handed over personally’

Radhakrishnan, who is one of the key accused in the solar scam along with Saritha Nair, told the Solar Commission, a judicial commission that is probing the scam, that he had paid Rs55 million to the chief minister.

Giving alleged details of the payments, he said Rs51 million had been handed over personally, and that the remaining Rs4 million was given to Jikku and Joppen, two staffers attached to the chief minister’s office.

Radhakrishnan said he had paid money to Jikku and Joppen on instructions from Salim Raj, a former security official of the chief minister. The three staffers were suspended when the solar scam came to light.

Making his submission to the Solar Commission, Radhakrishnan said the chief minister was involved in the Team Solar Renewable Energy company, and that discussions with him had taken place at the guesthouse in Ernakulam.

He said the understanding with the chief minister was to split profits in a 60:40 ratio, with the chief minister getting 40 per cent.