Kerala’s CPI(M)-led Opposition lDF on Tuesday accused the Congress-led UDF Government of a bid to make con woman Saritha S Nair, prime accused in various cases pertaining to the infamous solar scam, an approver even as the Syro Malabar Catholic Church pushed itself into a spot over Chief Minister Oommen Chandy’s alleged role in the scandal.
State Assembly’s Deputy Opposition leader Kodiyeri Balakrishnan said that ‘harmless’ complaint Saritha had submitted the other day to a Kochi court, in which there was no reference to any of the ruling party leaders, was a prelude to the Government’s plan to protect her by turning her into an approver in the scam-related cases.
He said that Saritha’s act of putting the entire blame for the scam was an indication of this arrangement between her and the Government to make her an approver. This move would involve the taking over by the Government of the liability of Rs10 crore of Saritha, the total scam amount, he added.
Kodiyeri, also a Politburo member of the CPI (M), said that there should be a probe into the circumstances in which Saritha, who had earlier reportedly spoken about certain Ministers and UDF leaders who had ‘used’
her, had changed her stand. He also demanded an investigation into the visit of the DIG (Prisons) to the jail where the woman was lodged on a particular day.
Saritha Nair had on Monday submitted a complaint to Additional Chief Judicial magistrate (Economic Offences), Kochi through the superintendent of the women’s prison at Attakkulangara, Thiruvananthapuram saying that she was facing death threat from her ex-husband and scam mastermind Biju Radhakrishnan.
She had specifically said in the complaint that rumours had been spreading about her non-existent relationships with top political leaders whereas her lawyer Fenni Balakrishnan had claimed that Saritha had in a 19-page statement she herself had written mentioned the names of several powerful men who had exploited her physically and financially.
On Tuesday, Fenni said that he had destroyed the 19-page statement Saritha had given him earlier as per the instructions of her mother. He, however, claimed that he had mentioned her references to the top leaders’ involvement on Saritha’s own instructions, adding that the complaint she had given the other day was one in the present context.
At the same time, Home Minister Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan of the Congress said that it was impossible for the Government to initiate an investigation against the ACJM, Kochi for not recording Saritha’s statement on July 20 when she had reportedly revealed some shocking information on people who were in contact with her.