Kerala solar panel scam: Accused claims to have incriminating video evidence against CM

Biju Radhakrishnan, prime accused in the Kerala solar panel scam, on 2 December levelled fresh allegations against Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy that he had paid a Rs 5.5 crore bribe to a Congress leader.

Radhakrishnan also claimed that he 'visuals' to show that Chandy and five other ministers had links to the other main accused in the scam, Saritha Nair.

Radhakrishnan was Saritha's live-in partner until both were arrested in 2013, for allegedly duping investors from whom they collected crores for a solar power project.

Deposing before Justice G Sivarajan Commission, which is probing the scam, Radhakrishnan said he possessed videos that Saritha had shot without the knowledge of the politicians.

"I don't know whether it was taken for blackmailing or for self defence," he said, adding that he got the clips from her two weeks before her arrest.

Radhakrishnan said he had shown the Chief Minister five of the clips and deliberately did not show him the sixth, as it was contained shots of the Chief Minister himself. "I will produce it, if required," he said in his deposition on 2 December.

There was no immediate reaction from the office of the Chief Minister or the other leaders.

The solar panel scam had snowballed into a major political row after the arrest of a personal assistant in Chandy's office for allegedly aiding the accused. Opposition Left Democratic Front (LDF) has been running a high-voltage campaign, demanding Chandy's resignation over the issue.

Following Radhakrishnan's fresh allegations, Leader of the Opposition VS Achuthanandan demanded the Chief Minister's resignation.

(with inputs from PTI)