Kochi: Kerala High Court on Tuesday directed the state government to inform its stand on handing over the probe to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in a particular solar scam case.
The direction was given by Justice B Kemal Pasha on a petition by Saritha S Nair, prime accused in the solar panel scam, who alleged that a businessman had paid money to the Chief Minister's Office in connection with a solar project. She alleged that businessman Malleli Sreedharan Nair had met the Chief Minister to get a personal assurance from him before investing an initial amount of Rs 40 lakh in the project.
"Amounts were also paid to the office of the Chief Minister," the petitioner alleged.
Accusing the Special Investigation Team set up by the state government to probe the scam of "consciously refusing" to look into "evidence" relating to the meeting between the CM and the businessman, Saritha said "she is even willing to produce such evidence even before the court".
She pleaded with the court to direct the state government to conduct a re-investigation into the case registered in Konni Police station by a separate and competent investigating agency, if possible by the CBI.
Saritha is facing cheating cases in the scam in which scores of people were allegedly duped of crores of rupees after being promised solar panel solutions.
