The Sivarajan commission inquiring into the solar scam will complete the examination of witnesses in the case with the cross-examination of former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy. The commission has directed Mr. Chandy to be present for the cross-examination on Friday.
The panel has so far examined 212 witnesses in the case, including Mr. Chandy.
The panel had examined Mr. Chandy in January when he was the Chief Minister, in a marathon session held in Thiruvananthapuram.
No specific requests have been received by the commission for the cross-examination of the former Chief Minister. However, anyone who has been made party in the case can cross-examine the former Chief Minister, judicial sources said.
Biju Radhakrishnan, an accused in the case who is languishing in jail and had levelled various allegations against Mr. Chandy, is unlikely to cross-examine him. Radhakrishnan has not sought permission for cross-examining the former Chief Minister. However, the lawyer of Saritha S. Nair, one of the key accused in the case, can cross-examine him, sources said.
The cross-examination of A. Hemachandran, former Additional Director General of Police (Intelligence), which remains inconclusive, will be completed shortly.
After the completion of the examination of witnesses, those who want to present their arguments can do it before the panel or submit it in writing, sources said.
The reported interactions of Saritha with the then Cabinet Ministers of the Oommen Chandy government and other Congress legislators and party leaders had set off a political storm in the State.
The panel appointed by the State government in October 2013 has been asked to examine whether the government suffered any financial loss in the alleged deals. It has also been mandated to examine whether there was any slip-up in handling complaints since 2006 in connection with the solar scam and related financial dealings.
It has also been asked to look into all the allegations raised inside and outside the State Assembly regarding the scam. The revised term of the panel will expire on April 27.
