Kerala media chases police car retrieving solar scam evidence

Kochi, Dec 10: In stuff normally seen in films -- journalists in Kerala on Thursday were in hot pursuit of a police vehicle carrying the main accused in the solar scam to an undisclosed destination to get hold of video evidence that he claimed was in safe custody of someone known to him.

Inside the police vehicle was solar scam prime accused Biju Radhakrishnan and four police officials, besides two officials of the solar scam judicial probe commission.

The journey began around 3 p.m. from the state capital, and the vehicle, according to TV channels, was heading towards Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu.

On Thursday morning, Radhakrishnan, who was supposed to produce video evidence before the probe commission, revealed that the evidence was kept in the safe custody of someone known to him, and the place was located about six hours drive from here.

Radhakrishnan had last week told the commission that he has with him video evidence showing his live-in partner Saritha Nair with Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and two of his cabinet colleagues.

On Thursday, he said he has three copies of the video -- one kept outside India, the second was taken away by Kerala Police when he was arrested from Coimbatore in 2013 and the third in safe custody with a friend in an undisclosed destination.

The commission on Thursday ordered police to take him along and produce the video once it is recovered.

There are many cases of cheating registered against Nair and Radhakrishnan.

Both are accused of cheating investors by promising to supply them solar panels worth crores of rupees.

The Rs.7-crore solar panel scam surfaced in 2013 and rocked the Chandy government as three of his staff members were found to have links with Nair. The three were sacked by the chief minister.

While Nair is out on bail, Radhakrishnan is yet to get bail as he is an accused in a murder case as well.

IANS