A Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe report, which allotted a clean chit to former Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy in the solar sexual assault case, reportedly claims that a few leaders connected to the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) had hatched a conspiracy to frame the late Congress veteran in the case. The report – submitted by the Thiruvananthapuram unit of the CBI – is learnt to contain mentions of former minister and Left Democratic Front (LDF) MLA KB Ganesh Kumar, and his close relative and bus operator Saranya Manoj.
The CBI report, which was accepted by the Thiruvananthapuram Chief Judicial Magistrate Court on September 2, is in connection with a sexual assault charge against Oommen Chandy and other Congress leaders, which was registered on the basis of a complaint by the prime accused in the sensational solar scam. She had complained to the police that Chandy, in his capacity as CM while the United Democratic Front (UDF) was in power, had sexually assaulted her promising to sanction her contracts for solar installations in the state.
As per reports, the CBI has stated that the complainant had drafted four more letters in addition to the original one to implicate political leaders. The CBI also reportedly mentions the presence of a ‘middleman’ who facilitated a meeting between the woman and CPI(M) leader Pinarayi Vijayan. This was apparently affirmed by the prime witness in the case, the complainant’s driver. Details of this controversial middleman remain unknown.
The first letter, which was written when the complainant was in jail, did not mention Oommen Chandy’s name or have any references to him, as per the CBI report. The name was allegedly included in the letter later on. The CBI report also says the aforementioned ‘middleman’ was responsible for this. It adds that the agency could not gather any evidence to support the claim that she was sexually abused at Cliff House, the CM’s official residence.
After details from the report were revealed, Kerala Janapaksham (Secular) leader and former Poonjar MLA PC George on Sunday, September 10, accused incumbent CM Pinarayi Vijayan of playing a role in the attempts to frame Oommen Chandy. “The woman sexual assault survivor had complained against Chandy on the directives of Pinarayi Vijayan,” George alleged to media persons, adding that the survivor once told him she had met Pinarayi through a mediator named Nandakumar.
“[The survivor] had told me that she decided to file a complaint against Oommen Chandy on the direction of Pinarayi Vijayan. She had also handed over a note to me mentioning the allegations in her complaint and had asked me to speak about it while addressing the media then. However, I refused and declined her request and handed over the note to the CBI,” he added.
The Congress party also demanded a detailed probe into the CBI report, with Vadakara Member of Parliament (MP) K Muraleedharan informing the media that the issue would be discussed in the party high level meeting to be held in Thiruvananthapuram on Tuesday. Muraleedharan, who is also a former state president of the party, added that the court was still considering the CBI report and more details will be revealed once the report is made public.
Former Kerala Home Minister and senior Congress leader Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan also demanded a probe into the matter. “The identity of the people who betrayed Oommen Chandy should be made public, and so should the CBI report,” he said.
Oommen Chandy’s son and Puthuppally MLA-elect Chandy Oommen told media persons in Thiruvananthapuram that everyone knew it was a controversy hatched against his father and that the truth would definitely come out one day.
Saranya Manoj denies charges
Soon after the allegations emerged, Saranya Manoj told media persons on Sunday that he was clueless about the claims being made against him and Ganesh Kumar. While confirming that the complainant’s letter did not contain any sexual assault allegation against Oommen Chandy, he said he did not know if this allegation was subsequently added to the letter. The letter was later handed over to several people, including a journalist and the complainant herself, he added.
Saranya also claimed that Kerala Congress (B) leader R Balakrishna Pillai, who is MLA Ganesh Kumar’s father, had collected the letter from the complainant with the aim of protecting the UDF government. He said Ganesh’s helper Pradeep Kottathala had visited her in jail to collect the letter as per the directions of Balakrishna Pillai, adding that Ganesh had no involvement in it.
With IANS inputs
