Ramesh Chennithala flays solar panel

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala lashed out at the Solar Commission accusing it of committing serious security lapses while taking murder convict Biju Radhakrishnan to Coimbatore for evidence collection.

He said the commission had committed a grave lapse in not informing the police about its decision to take Biju Radhakrishnan to Coimbatore. No security arrangements had been put in place for the transportation of the convict.

"The commission didn't discuss the matter with the police. It should have taken all these issues into consideration," he said.

The home minister said that it was the responsibility of the police to provide security for a murder convict. "When a murder convict who is serving his jail sentence is taken out of jail and especially to another state for evidence collection, prior notice and information have to be given to the police for making the necessary security arrangements during transportation. Had the accused escaped from custody, the entire blame would have been put on the police," Chennithala added.

There was widespread criticism over the manner in which a criminal like Biju Radhakrishnan was taken to Coimbatore for evidence collection in full media glare. The inadequate security provided for the task had also raised several eyebrows.

Chennithala's criticism comes a day after the Solar Commission slammed the media for celebrating the evidence collection episode.

Meanwhile, on the issue of repeated violation of discipline by DGP Jacob Thomas, the home minister said that the government would not allow any official to continue such violations.

Plea to summon Chandran

A petition has been filed before the Solar Judicial Commission seeking to summon Chandran, personal secretary of Biju Radhakrishnan, for suppressing the CD which is said to have been handed over by Biju. The petitioner sought to make Chandran a witness in the proceedings and record his statements.

The advocate, appointed by the Solar Commission, seized some documents during the controversial CD raid from the house of Chandran, a Tamil Nadu native.

The Kerala Anti-Corruption and Human Rights Protection Council filed the petition before the commission. Isaac Varghese, the petitioner, is also a party in the current judicial probe conducted by Justice G. Sivarajan. It was Isaac who sought to appoint an advocate in the team which conducted the search.

Adv B. H. Mansoor, appearing for the petitioner, contended that it was Chandran who suppressed the sleaze CD which allegedly contains visuals of several Congress leaders including Chief Minister Oommen Chandy.

The search was ordered pursuant to a revelation by Biju Radhakrishnan to prove the alleged nexus of the ruling dispensation and Saritha S. Nair. However, Biju failed to provide the CD to the commission.

A team comprising five cops and Solar Commission's lawyer along with Biju Radhakrishnan reached Coimbatore late in the night and visited Chandran's house in Shelvapuram.

The case pertains to the dubious deals made by Saritha and Biju with regard to the sale of solar panels. The case is registered against Biju Radhakrishnan, first accused, and Saritha S. Nair, second accused in the case.

The state initially registered a case of cheating against Biju and Saritha and later it was revealed that several personal staff of the chief minister had close links with Saritha and Biju.

Pursuant to this, Joppan, gunman Salim Raj and Jikku Mon were removed from the personal staff. The commission will also consider the allegations levelled in the Kerala Assembly.

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