FIR filed against Oomen Chandy, MP over sexual harassment complaint

Kochi, Oct 21: The Kerala police's crime branch on Sunday registered a case of sexual harassment against former chief minister Oommen Chandy and MP K C Venugopal on a complaint filed by Solar scam accused Saritha S Nair.

Director General of Police (DGP) Loknath Behera confirmed that the cases against the two leaders were lodged after receiving a complaint from Nair and a Special Investigation Team (SIT) had been constituted to investigate the matter. "Let the law take its own course," PTI quoted the DGP as saying.

Chandy alleged that the case was "politically motivated" and said that he would face it legally. The former CM said that the issue was being raked up by the CPI (M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) government to deviate people's attention from the Sabarimala issue, which has turned into a political hot potato in the state.

Saritha S Nair, who spent eight months in prison before she was released on bail, had deposed that she paid a bribe of Rs 1.90 crore to the then Chief Minister Oommen Chandy for the ruling dispensation's support for the solar projects floated by her company. She went on to accuse several Congress leaders of economically and sexually exploiting her.

The FIR against Chandy comes at a time when the LDF government is facing the heat over the Sabarimala issue.

The government is caught between protesting traditionalists and reformists in the light of the Supreme Court order allowing women of all ages to offer prayers at the temple.