The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Tuesday took over the probe into cases against several Congress leaders in Kerala in connection with the alleged sexual exploitation of a prime accused woman in the sensational solar scam. The CPI(M)-led Kerala government had recommended a probe by the central agency earlier this year.
Former chief minister Oommen Chandy, AICC general secretary K.C. Venugopal, party MPs Hibi Eden and Adoor Prakash, MLA A P Anil Kumar, and BJP leader A.P. Abdullakutty are the accused in the six cases.
The cases were registered over the last several years and investigated by the Crime Branch of the Kerala Police based on a complaint by the woman, an accused in the multi-crore solar panel scam during the UDF government, that she was sexually exploited by them in 2012. Abdullakutty was a Congress MLA when the case against him was registered in 2014.
The Congress on Tuesday alleged “political conspiracy” in handing over of the cases to the CBI. Party’s state president K. Sudhakaran said it was Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's misconception that Congress leaders could be eliminated on the basis of the statement of a woman accused in several criminal cases. He also alleged a nexus between Vijayan and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Chandy said he was not scared of the CBI probe and noted that the CPI(M)-led government during its five-year rule had not taken any action against them.
Venugopal also alleged political conspiracy behind the move and pointed out that the case was handed over to CBI just ahead of the Assembly polls in April this year.
