Court verdict against Chandy: CPI-M says Congress should make clear its stand

Kozhikode: CPI-M on Wednesday said that the Congress leadership in the state should make clear its stand on the court verdict against former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy in a case filed in a local court in Bengaluru.

In a Facebook post, party state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan said that the court verdict vindicated the charges raised by the LDF against Chandy when the UDF was in power. “I think Oommen Chandy did not take the post of Opposition leader as he fears that court verdicts in the pending cases too will be against him,” Kodiyeri said.

A local court in Bengaluru had Monday directed six persons including Chandy and a firm to together pay Rs 1,60,85,700 to a Bengaluru-based businessman M K Kuruvilla, with 12 per cent interest.

It had held Chandy also jointly responsible for payback of the money to the petitioner in the case by a firm for a solar project which did not materialise.

Chandy, however, described the verdict as "unilateral". In a statement, he said that he was not given a chance to explain his stand or file an affidavit and that he would move the court to get the verdict nullified, once he receives a copy of the order.

He said Kuruvilla had met him when he was the chief minister and complained that he had been duped by his relative Andrews and Personal Assistant Daljit.

"I do not have a relative by name Andrews and PA Daljit as mentioned by Kuruvilla. Still the complaint was handed over to the DGP for a probe," Chandy pointed out.

"I did not know anything about the further stage of the case. I am confident that I will be able to convince the court that I did not have any direct or indirect role in the case," Chandy said.

Kodiyeri on Tuesday told reporters that Chandy's contention that his argument had not been heard was not proper and the general public was also not convinced about it.

BJP General Secretary K Surendran demanded that Chandy resign his position as MLA and that he had 'failed' to explain his position before the court.

"People of Kerala hope that Chandy's conscience will accept at least the court verdict," he said.

Chandy had been under attack from LDF (while he was the CM) in connection with the solar scam case, where prime accused Saritha S Nair and her accomplice allegedly cheated some persons by offering solar panel solutions.

The duo allegedly canvassed business by using high-level names, including that of Chandy, a charge denied by him.