With the extension of the term of the Justice G.Sivarajan Commission inquiring into the solar scam by another six months, the commission has an unenviable task of examining a clutch of persons involved in the scam and preparing a report within the extended time.
The term was being extended for the second time. The commission set up in October 2013 had been extended on expiry of its initial six-month tenure. The present tenure of the commission ended on April 28. The commission had a herculean task as it was investigating complaints regarding the solar scam and associated financial dealings since 2005, said sources.
LDF leaders, who had earlier refused to cooperate with the commission, started deposing before it after the commission made it clear that allegations levelled against Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, his office, and personal staff, and former Home Minister and present Transport Minister Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan were the subject matter of inquiry under the first item in the terms of reference. he allegation was that the Chief Minister, his office, his personal assistants, his former security officer Salim Raj, close party workers, and his aide in New Delhi, Thomas Kuruvila, were involved in the solar scam deals struck by the prime accused Saritha Nair and Biju Radhakrishnan and that they had “rendered all help to them for cheating their solar scam customers in one way or the other”.
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The commission had come out with the order, as the State government had taken a stance before the commission that the demand of the LDF that involvement of Chief Minister Oommen Chandy’s office be probed into did not form part of the terms and reference of the commission.
Sources said 25 persons were yet to be examined. Leader of the Opposition V.S. Achuthanandan, CPI(M) State secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, and LDF convener Vaikom Viswan had deposed before the panel.
Term of commission extended for second time
25 persons yet to be examined