KOCHI: The CBI is all set to move court here seeking permission to take a former security personnel of Chief Minister Oommen Chandy for a lie detector test, according to officials.
Salim Raj, Chandy's gunman, lost his job in 2013 after it was alleged that he was in close contacts with Saritha Nair, one of the key accused in the infamous solar panel scam case.
Raj, a Kerala Police constable, landed in another trouble when a Kerala High Court bench headed by Justice Haroon Rashid in March last year handed to the CBI the case of two land deals. The 45 acres of land worth Rs 400 crore was believed to have been usurped by Raj and his accomplices.
It is in this case that the CBI will seek the chief judicial magistrate court' permission to subject Raj and his accomplices to lie detector tests.
The CBI has also informed the high court that it expects to close the case in four months' time.
At the height of the opposition onslaught against him in this case, Chandy last year informed the assembly that the government has filed an affidavit seeking a CBI probe into the case.
Chandy has, on numerous occasions, said his conscience is clear and that he has done no wrong, and has nothing to fear.
This case first surfaced in 2007 during CPI-M leader V S Achuthanandan's tenure as the chief minister when home minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, after a probe by police team, closed the case stating that there was nothing criminal in nature, and it was just a civil case.
Congress mouthpiece likens Suresh Gopi to Togadia
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Congress mouthpiece Veekshanam in its editorial has compared actor Suresh Gopi to VHP leader Praveen Togadia for calling upon Hindus to take a proactive role in materialising the Vizhinjam Harbour project.
“Suresh Gopi is trying to become the Guruvayoor Kesavan of politics. When pride takes human form, it becomes Suresh Gopi. When Suresh Gopi’s obsession with saffron climaxes, Kerala will become Togadia,” the editorial says mockingly.
“Power-hungry Suresh Gopi is spewing communal venom. After making a ghar wapsi to BJP, he by-hearted words like Hindu Samaj and Hindu Dharma and has been using them indiscriminately at certain venues. He has been misusing those sacred words in such a way that it brings bad reputation to true Hindus. The actor who is now singing hymns on Modi and BJP, had once hanged around Indira Bhavan and Cliff House. Actors turning politicians with the aim to grab power is not new in society but in the enthusiasm to fly high in politics they should not spit communal venom,".
“Suresh Gopi is trying to become the Guruvayoor Kesavan of politics. When pride takes human form, it becomes Suresh Gopi. When Suresh Gopi’s obsession with saffron climaxes, Kerala will become Togadia,” the editorial says mockingly.
“Power-hungry Suresh Gopi is spewing communal venom. After making a ghar wapsi to BJP, he by-hearted words like Hindu Samaj and Hindu Dharma and has been using them indiscriminately at certain venues. He has been misusing those sacred words in such a way that it brings bad reputation to true Hindus. The actor who is now singing hymns on Modi and BJP, had once hanged around Indira Bhavan and Cliff House. Actors turning politicians with the aim to grab power is not new in society but in the enthusiasm to fly high in politics they should not spit communal venom,".
Bar scam: Bar association president records statement
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Bar Association president Rajkumar Unni has recorded statement at Vigilance officer in connection with the case in which Finance Minister K M Mani allegedly took Rs One crore as bribe for facilitating the opening of closed bars.
After coming out of the Vigilance office on Saturday morning, Rajkumar Unni said that he would submit evidence against Finance Minister K M Mani to the Vigilance and would also cooperate with the Vigilance inquiry.
Bar Association Working President Biju Ramesh, who had made allegation against Mani, had also recorded his statement.
After coming out of the Vigilance office on Saturday morning, Rajkumar Unni said that he would submit evidence against Finance Minister K M Mani to the Vigilance and would also cooperate with the Vigilance inquiry.
Bar Association Working President Biju Ramesh, who had made allegation against Mani, had also recorded his statement.
KPPC approves liquor policy: Sudheeran
THIRUVANATHAPURAM: KPCC president said on Saturday that the KPCC had given the approval for the government’s liquor policy. Liquor ban and liquor abstention are the declared policies of the KPCC and UDF and it will be taken forward. The KPCC president was speaking to the media after KPCC coordination committee meeting.
In the case of liquor policy, party-government coordination committee’s decision will be respected. The party’s aim is to bring in liquor ban in ten years.
He said that instructions have been given to prepare the party for local self-governing body “Party men have been advised to avoid the overplay of groupism in the local body election. Nothing will be allowed to hamper the winning chance of candidates. Since the local body election comes before the Assembly election, the former will be viewed seriously,” he said.
In the case of liquor policy, party-government coordination committee’s decision will be respected. The party’s aim is to bring in liquor ban in ten years.
He said that instructions have been given to prepare the party for local self-governing body “Party men have been advised to avoid the overplay of groupism in the local body election. Nothing will be allowed to hamper the winning chance of candidates. Since the local body election comes before the Assembly election, the former will be viewed seriously,” he said.
Solar: Police asked me not to name CM, says Sreedharan Nair
KOCHI: In the Solar scam case, the complainant Mallelil Sreedharan Nair has come out in the open with scathing criticism against Chief Minister Oommen Chandy.
“The investigating police officers had asked me to avoid the chief minister’s name in my statements. This happened in the initial phase of the investigation. The police put forward this demand while recording secret statements at Chengannoor DySP office. Later, whatever I had to say ended up in revelations on Joeppen,” he confessed before the judicial commission probing the case.
He said, several political leaders had approached him for arriving at a compromise. “It is not possible to reveal their names. I’m now undergoing undesired consequences of giving statements against the chief minister. An application forwarded, seeking environmental sanction to begin a quarry was rejected,” Sreedharan Nair added.
“The investigating police officers had asked me to avoid the chief minister’s name in my statements. This happened in the initial phase of the investigation. The police put forward this demand while recording secret statements at Chengannoor DySP office. Later, whatever I had to say ended up in revelations on Joeppen,” he confessed before the judicial commission probing the case.
He said, several political leaders had approached him for arriving at a compromise. “It is not possible to reveal their names. I’m now undergoing undesired consequences of giving statements against the chief minister. An application forwarded, seeking environmental sanction to begin a quarry was rejected,” Sreedharan Nair added.
Holiday on Jan15
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The State government has declared regional holiday on Thursday for government offices and schools in Thiruvananthapuram, Palakkad, Pathanamthitta, Idukki and Wayanad on account Thai Pongal. All these districts have border with Tamil Nadu and a sizeable population of Tamilians.
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