Solar scam: Accused Saritha says sexually exploited by Chandy

Thiruvananthapuram, April 3  A TV channel on Sunday released a letter written by solar scam accused Saritha Nair in which she says she was sexually exploited by Chief Minister Oommen Chandy at his official residence. Chandy said he suspected a "conspiracy" behind it.

Nair on Sunday appeared on the Asianet News channel and confirmed that she had written the 24-page letter in 2013.

"Yes, this letter is mine and I wrote it in police custody. I will not discuss the contents, but all what I have written is correct," she said.

The solar scam case surfaced when Nair and her live-in partner Biju Radhakrishnan were arrested in 2013 on charges of cheating numerous investors who paid money for solar panels.

Asked for his reaction, Chandy said the timing of the letter was "a bit baffling" as the state is heading towards assembly elections.

"I suspect a conspiracy behind this. This is the latest attempt to bring down my government, and for three years, this has been happening in various forms.

"Did you all not hear in the past, what she said about me?" Chandy asked media persons, referring to a time when Nair had described the chief minister "as a father-like person".

"Since this first came out, the state had a few elections, and it was discussed numerous times. And now with the assembly polls, this has surfaced again," he said.

The letter came out on a day when Chandy managed to convince the Congress high command in Delhi to clear the candidature of five candidates, whose names were being opposed by state Congress president V.M. Sudheeran.

Over 30 cases of cheating against Nair and Radhakrishnan are registered in various courts. Police estimate that they cheated investors to the tune of over Rs.6 crore.

While Nair is out on bail, Radhakrishnan is in jail on charges of murdering his first wife.