Thiruvananthapuram, January 24: The Kerala government on Sunday decided to hand over a sexual harassment case in the solar scam to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). Former Chief Minister Ommen Chandy is one of the accused in the case. The case was handed over to the CBI months ahead of the assembly elections. Congress MPs KC Venugopal, Hibi Eden and Adoor Prakash and MLA A P Anil Kumar and BJP leader A P Abdulla Kutty Abdulla Kutty are other five accused in the case.

The Congress alleged the move was politically motivated. "At least three senior police officers investigated the case and found there was no evidence to prove her claims. Almost five years the government sat over the case and explored many ways to make it alive," reported Hindustan Times quoting Congress Joseph as saying, He further alleged that the ruling government in the state opened the old case for a "face-saver". Kerala Solar Scam: Saritha Nair, Husband Biju Radhakrishnan Slapped With 3-Year Prison, Rs 10,000 Fine by Coimbatore Court.

Notably, Chandy was recently appointed head of 10- member election management panel of the party for the state polls expected in April-May. This is the second case in which the LDF government has recommended an investigation by CBI this month. Earlier, on January 11, it decided to hand over to the agency the probe into the death of two minor sisters after alleged sexual assault in 2017 at Walayar. Former Kerala CM Oommen Chandy Gets Partial Relief in Solar Scam Case.

The Kerala solar panel scam occurred in 2013, when a solar energy company, Team Solar used two women to create political contacts with links even to the Chief Minister's office. The company duped several influential people to the tune of 70 lakhs by offering to make them business partners, or by offering to install solar power units for them.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 24, 2021 09:09 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).