Solar scam accused Saritha S. Nair has scoffed at Chief Minister Oommen Chandy’s claim before the G. Sivarajan Commission inquiring into the scam that he came to know about her and Team Solar only after the police had arrested her. She claimed it was a lie.
Saritha narrated before the panel the instances of her meetings with Mr. Chandy, even at his official residence. She also recounted the conversations with him on several occasions. Deposing before the panel on Thursday, Saritha said she spoke to the Chief Minister on many occasions over the phone used by his gunmen, including Salim Raj. During one such instance, Mr. Chandy had asked her to meet him at Hotel le Meridian where Emerging Kerala, a government programme, was being held.
But since several media persons and dignitaries were present there, the meeting did not take place and the Chief Minister wanted her to meet him in Thiruvananthapuram. Saritha maintained that during the meeting at his official residence, his wife Mariamma Oommen and his son Chandy Oommen and some Congress leaders were present there and Mr. Chandy met her away from the visitors, she said.
According to her, she had tried to avoid appearing before the probe panel fearing that she may have to give false statements. She admitted to have not revealed some key facts to the panel, owing to the intervention of Congress leaders Thampanoor Ravi and Benny Behannan, MLA, at the behest of the Chief Minister. She also offered to produce evidences to prove the involvement of these leaders.
She stated that the duo held discussions with her through a lawyer and later held direct discussions after her release from the jail.
