Solar rape case: CBI gives clean chit to Oommen Chandy; Congress slams CPI(M)

 

Thiruvananthapuram: Congress leadership lashed out at the CPI(M) after the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) gave a clean chit to former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy in the Solar rape case. The CBI has submitted a report in this regard to the Chief Judicial Magistrate in Thiruvananthapuram.

The complaint was filed by a woman entrepreneur behind a planned solar power project. The complainant had alleged that the she was sexually assaulted by Chandy at the Cliff House, the official residence of the chief minister. However, the CBI informed the court that the former CM was not present at the Cliff House on the day the crime was alleged. The agency also added that there was discrepancies in the complainant’s statements.

Recently, the central agency had come to the same conclusion after it conducted a probe against four other Congress leaders — Hibi Eden, KC Venugopal, AP Anil Kumar and Adoor Prakash — who had faced the same charge by the same complainant. The complaint was filed with the Kerala Police in 2018 and the case was handed over to the CBI later. The agency filed an FIR against the five Congress leaders and Abdullakutty based on the statement filed by the complainant.

Veteran leader AK Antony opined that there is no wonder in discarding the case as it was only a political conspiracy of the CPM. Opposition leader VD Satheesan demanded the Chief Minister to apologise for attempting to entrap 5 senior Congress leaders in a fake case. Satheesan pointed out that the CBI had conducted all possible investigations and found no evidence against Oommen Chandy. Hence, Pinarayi Vijayan should apologise to all leaders who were listed as accused in the case and to their families, said VD Satheesan.

Senior Congress leader KC Joseph condemned that the people who accused Oommen Chandy in a fake case are now being hunted by their own party mates. The Solar case and complaints in connection with it were part of a well plotted controversy. However, truth cannot be suppressed for long. CBI’s decision in the Solar case is a lesson for everyone, KC Joseph said.