Achuthanandan demands probe into Saritha's allegations

Kochi, Apr 4: Leader of Opposition in Kerala Assembly, V S Achuthanandan, on Monday demanded a comprehensive probe into solar panel scam accused Saritha S Nair's allegations that she was sexually abused by Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy.

The veteran CPI(M) leader also urged the people of Kerala to "boycott" the Chief Minister and other leaders against whom Saritha had levelled sleaze charges in a purported letter which she had allegedly written while she was in police custody following her arrest in the solar panel scam.

A day after a leading news channel released the copy of the purported letter, Achuthanandan said Saritha's allegations against the Chief Minister were "serious" as it revealed that he used his official residence for "all type of immoral activities."

Talking to reporters here, he alleged that Chandy and his colleagues, allegedly involved in the incident, were trying to destroy the life of a woman who approached them seeking her livelihood.

Achuthanandan urged the women in the state to take a strong stand against Chandy in the Assembly polls.

"Oommen Chandy has become a liability for the Congress High Command. Fielding leaders like him in the assembly polls is against interest of people of Kerala. These people, wearing masks of politicians, have polluted the public life in the state," the opposition leader said in his scathing attack against Chandy.

Talking to reporters at Thiruvananthapuram, Chandy rubbished the allegations of sexual abuse levelled by Saritha and said people will give a befitting reply to it in the May 16 assembly polls. Yesterday, he had dismissed the charge as "totally baseless" and claimed it was a conspiracy.

"This is the last ditch effort to sabotage my government," Chandy had said after the channel released the 25-page letter which Saritha had allegedly written in 2013 while she was in police custody following her arrest in the solar scam.

PTI