Solar scam - Plot thickens: Did CM prod Saritha to name Jayarajan?

KOCHI: In her continuing deposition before the Justice Sivarajan Commission, Saritha S Nair, the main accused in the Solar Scam, made further damning disclosures against the ruling front. She told the inquiry commission on Saturday that she was asked by none other than chief minister Oommen Chandy to state that CPM leader E P Jayarajan had offered her Rs 10 crore through an aide to tarnish the UDF government.Saritha also told the commission that the writ challenging the powers of Solar Scam Inquiry Commission was filed before Kerala high court based on directions rom the chief minister's office. The commission on Saturday accepted a copy of a TV interview as evidence of Saritha's cla m that CPM offered her money when she was released on bail.
“After hearing the offer, I called Congress leader Thampanoor Ravi who consulted he chief minister. They directed me to tell the media hat the offer was made by Jayarajan“, Saritha deposed be ore the commission while replying to a question by the advocate of Thomas Kuruvilla, Chandy's Delhi-based aide and one of those implicated n the Solar Scam.
Before lunch break, the commission permitted co-ac cused Biju Radhakrishnan to cross-examine Saritha in an in-camera proceeding which lasted more than an hour but only regarding her statements that allegedly defamed him.
Saritha also said that probe into the case related to videos containing intimate scenes of her leaked through WhatsApp was aborted after Congress leaders from Alappuzha intervened. However, Saritha refused to reveal the names of these leaders.
Saritha also deposed that she stood by her rape charge against Kannur MLA A P Abdullakutty. “Apart from filing a complaint with Cantonment police station, Kannur, I had also confessed the same in the statement given to a magistrate under section 164 of CrPC," Saritha said.