Solar Commission team returns empty handed

Thiruvananthapuram (updated): The team deputed by the Judicial Commission enquiring into the solar scam to fetch evidence from Coimbatore has virtually returned empty handed on Thursday as the bag recovered by witness Biju Radhakrishnan did not contain a CD or pendrive.

Biju Radhakrishnan reportedly told the team that the CD and pendrive might have been stolen or removed by someone.

The Commission witnessed dramatic scenes in the morning with the Commission sending witness Biju Radhakrishnan, who is serving life sentence for murdering his wife, to fetch the evidence he claimed he had against Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and others.

Radhakrishnan was sent to an undisclosed destination outside the State under escort of four policemen and an advocate of the Commission. Today was the last day specified by the Commission for Radhakrishnan to produce evidence, and Radhakrishnan told the Commission that he could fetch evidence within ten hours. After considering legal issues of sending a prisoner outside the State to fetch evidence, the Commission decided to secure the evidence. His request that his counsel should accompany him was not accepted by the Commission. Instead, an advocate was sent to represent the Commission. Restrictions were placed on policemen accompanying him in using mobile phones on the way.

Radhakrishnan had told the Commission early this month that he had evidence against Chief Minister two ministers, a member of the Assembly and two others. This included CDs of their receiving sexual favours. He also alleged that he had paid Rs. 5.5 crore to the Chief Minister. His accomplice Saritha Nair, however, refuted the allegations made by Radhakrishnan and denied existence of evidence cited by him.