Kochi: Chief Minister Oommen Chandy has said he is ready to face a probe by any agency in the case connected with the construction of a waste processing plant of Travancore Titanium Products Ltd.
Addressing a press conference here on Friday, Chandy said the decision to set up the plant was taken following the requests made by various trade unions in the State and to save the company from closure. “I am ready to face a probe by any agency and would cooperate with it fully”, he said.
Chandy, however, ruled out resignation in connection with the case. “Since I have not committed any crime there is no need for me to resign”, he said. He also pointed out that graver allegations had been raised against him in connection with the Palmoil case, but the court had exonerated him.
The CM said Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala had no role in the issue. “I am surprised by the decision of the court to name Ramesh as one of the accused in the case”, he said. Chandy said that before work on the plant had begun, the UDF Government had gone out of power and the LDFassumed power.
“The LDF government commenced work of the plant with much fanfare. But the contractor abandoned the project midway which led to losses”, he said. Oommen Chandy also said the complaint filed in 2006 did not have his name or that of Ramesh Chennithala and V.K.Ebrahim Kunju.
“My name did not figure in it, when the case was first registered”, he said. On former minister K.K.Ramachandran’s allegations, Chandy said they were made after he was suspended from the party. The UDF had decided to implement the project with the approval of the State Cabinet, he added.
