Kerala govt tables solar scam report in assembly amidst uproar

Agencies
November 9, 2017

Thiruvananthapuram, Nov 9: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Thursday tabled the judicial commission report on solar scam and said it has found that his predecessor Oommen Chandy and his staff provided all help to accused Saritha S Nair and her company to dupe people.

Vijayan presented the four-volume report by Justice G Sivarajan and a Memorandum of Action taken by the government in this regard on the floor of the House during the special session.

It is for the first time in the history of the Kerala Assembly that a special session was convened to table the report of a judicial panel.

Detailing the content of the report, he said the Commission had found out that former chief minister Chandy and his personal staff had provided all help to Solar Scam accused Saritha S Nair and her company to dupe their customers.

The Commission also recommended a probe into various allegations raised in a letter written by Saritha under CrPC, IPC and other related rules, Vijayan said.

Besides bribery charges against various opposition leaders, the Commission report also found that they had got "sexual pleasure" from the accused, he said.

"The Commission has pointed out that this (sexual pleasure) comes under the ambit of illegal gratification pointed out in the Prevention of Corruption Act," he said.

Vijayan said the government would initiate legal proceedings, including under the Prevention of Corruption Act, against all persons, who are found by the Commission as having indulged in corruption.

An order has been issued forming a Special Investigation Team to probe various aspects of the solar scam based on the findings and recommendations of the Commission, the left leader said.

"The government's policy is that justice should be equal to all...That is why the government has taken the stand that further proceedings will be initiated only after receiving clear legal opinion in this regard," Vijayan added.

As soon as the Chief Minister stood up to table the report, Opposition members protested stating that Vijayan had committed a breach of privilege of the House by briefing the media last month about the content of the Commission's report before tabling it in the Assembly.

However, the Chief Minister denied the charges and said he did not go into the merit of the report during the media brief and the panel report became a public document when it was presented in the cabinet.

"It may be for the first time in the history of the state Assembly that the report of an enquiry commission is being tabled here within such a short span of time," Vijayan said.

He said the government decided to table it fast as it had received a number of requests to get a copy of the report from various persons including opposition leaders.

The state government had also sought a legal opinion from Supreme Court former judge Justice Arijit Pasayat before issuing further orders based on the report, the Chief Minister added.

Leader of Opposition in the assembly Ramesh Chennithala said they would oppose any move by the government to use the Judicial report as a weapon for "political revenge".

He also alleged that Vijayan's media briefing on the report amounted to "disrespect" to the House and "violation" of its code of conduct.

Justice G Sivarajan had submitted his report to the government on September 26, four years after the previous UDF government constituted the commission when charges surfaced about duping of several persons of crores of rupees by Saritha S Nair and her accomplice Biju Radhakrishnan by offering solar panel solutions.

The commission, set up in October 2013, had held 353 sittings, examined 214 witnesses and 972 documents.

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News Network
November 21,2024

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Hamas says the Israeli regime’s sole objective lies in “erasing” the entirety of the Palestinian population from across the Palestinian territories.

Khalil al-Hayya, a ranking official with the Gaza Strip-based Palestinian resistance movement, made the remarks to the Palestinian al-Aqsa TV on Wednesday.

“The occupation targets everyone—it strikes hospitals, civil defense, women, children, and the elderly,” he said, adding that the regime sought to “empty Gaza of its residents, and displace the Palestinian people to fulfill its dreams of building a Zionist Jewish state across all of Palestine.”

The remarks came amid the regime’s October 2023-present war of genocide on the coastal sliver that has so far claimed the lives of nearly 44,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children.

“This unprecedented aggression in modern times evokes scenes from the dark ages of human history, having crossed all red lines and exceeded every expectation of brutality in the modern era,” the Palestinian official lamented.

He also regretted that the regime had added “systematic and dangerous starvation to its aggression, falsely claiming before the world that it allows 250 [aid] trucks into Gaza daily. In reality, the number of trucks is far fewer.”

Hayya, meanwhile, regretted that “scenes of children torn apart, women screaming over their children, and heart-wrenching destruction have failed to stir enough humanity to stop these crimes.”

He decried the United States for vetoing the United Nations Security Council’s resolutions that are aimed at bringing about a potential ceasefire in the war, saying this indicated Washington’s “partnership in the aggression” and a simultaneous siege that the Israeli regime has been enforcing on Gaza.

Addressing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the official asserted that, despite what the Israeli official is after, Hamas would not hand over the regime’s captives “without [the regime’s] stopping the war.”

He called Netanyahu “the main obstacle” in the way of cessation of the aggression, saying the Israeli premier “blocks any progress for political reasons,” and citing his preventing conclusion of a ceasefire agreement in July.

Hayya also warned that the regime sought to expand the war beyond Gaza, but asserted that its goals are “impossible and will never happen.”

“Today, the enemy exposes its true intentions of extermination and displacement, but it will fail,” he stressed.

“The Palestinian people are resilient and will not surrender, as they believe in their humanitarian and political cause. The enemy and its allies will not succeed in achieving their goals. This steadfast people will endure, and the occupation will not prevail against them.”

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News Network
November 11,2024

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Mangaluru: In a deeply tragic turn of events, a 28-year-old woman named Ranjitha, who had recently given birth but tragically lost her newborn, ended her life by suicide on Monday. She reportedly leapt from the fourth-floor window of Lady Goschen Hospital’s luggage room.

Ranjitha, whose strength and resilience had carried her through a difficult pregnancy, was scheduled for discharge on Monday. Her journey to Lady Goschen Hospital began on October 24, when she was transferred from Karkala. She was a high-risk patient, battling both hypertension and diabetes. At the time of her admission, she was just 27 weeks pregnant.

Due to the complexities of her health, doctors made the difficult decision to perform an emergency C-section on October 30. She delivered a baby girl, premature and weighing only 960 grams. The newborn was immediately moved to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, where doctors did all they could. Despite these efforts, the baby passed away on November 3.

Ranjitha’s sorrow was profound. She stayed under hospital care even after her initial recovery and was preparing to go home on November 9. She had even requested a couple more days at the hospital, seeking time perhaps to cope with her unimaginable grief.

On the day of her discharge, a discharge card ready and her family eagerly waiting to take her home, Ranjitha reportedly made her way to the luggage room in the early hours. There, standing on a cot placed for patients' family members, she climbed to a window and fell from the fourth floor. Despite the attempts of another visitor to intervene, tragedy was inevitable. She was rushed to Government Wenlock Hospital, where doctors confirmed the worst—she was no more.

Dr. Durgaparasad M R, the Medical Superintendent at Lady Goschen Hospital, shared his grief and spoke of the ongoing investigation. A post-mortem is to be conducted, and the local Tahsildar will complete the necessary inquest procedures. Ranjitha’s exact reasons for taking this step are yet to be confirmed, though the weight of her recent losses paints a sorrowful picture.

If you or anyone you know is struggling emotionally, please remember that help is available. Reach out to mental health experts who can provide support and guidance. The toll-free helpline number 9152987821 is available to assist anyone in distress.

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