Chandy cleared of fraud charge in solar case

October 07, 2017 07:54 pm | Updated October 08, 2017 08:32 am IST - BENGALURU

Oommen Chandy

Oommen Chandy

In a big relief for former Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, a civil and session court here on Saturday exonerated him from the charge of fraud in connection with the infamous solar scam.

Considering the plea filed by Mr. Chandy through his counsel, the court deleted his name in the case. While passing the order, the court said there was no evidence to prove that there was a contract between Mr. Chandy and complainant Bengaluru-based industrialist M.K. Kuruvilla nor is there evidence to disclose the money transaction between the two. This clearly indicated that Mr. Chandy was not party to the case, the court said.

In 2015, Mr. Kuruvilla had filed a petition in the court seeking return of ₹1,60,85,700 deposited with SCOSSA Educational Consultants Private Limited, the first defendant, for setting up a solar power project in Kerala which did not materialise. He made Mr. Chandy a party since the accused had claimed that they could get the project approval since they are close to Mr. Chandy.

Mr. Kuruvilla had earlier filed a complaint with the CM's office in this regard, following which the Kerala police had probed the matter. Based on the police probe, cheating cases had been filed against the accused which is pending in the Kerala High Court.

It may be recalled that Mr. Kuruvilla filed a case in Bengaluru making Mr. Chandy a party to the case and had even got an exparte order from the court directing the accused, including Mr. Chandy, to pay an amount of ₹1,60,85,700 to Mr. Kuruvilla, with 12 per cent interest, for a solar project that did not materialise.

Mr. Chandy had filed two applications appealing against the earlier verdict. The first plea challenged court’s ex parte order and the second sought that his arguments be heard.

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