Congress leaders have hit out at the Kerala government after it allowed a CBI probe into the alleged sexual abuse cases linked to the solar scam case. The Congress party’s prominent leaders, including former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, are an accused in the controversial case. After Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala and Oommen Chandy, Hibi Eden, the Member of Parliament from Ernakulam, too, has now come out slamming the Pinarayi Vijayan government, calling it a politically motivated move.
“The FIR (first information report) was registered in these cases just before the last parliament election and now, when the Assembly election is just around the corner, they gave nod for a probe by the CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation). This is an election campaign,” Hibi Eden MP said in a statement.
The solar scam cases pertain to the alleged sexual assault complaints filed by a woman, who is also an accused in the multi-crore solar scam case. On Sunday, the Kerala government allowed the CBI probe in six cases pertaining to the sexual assault complaints, linked to the solar scam, against six accused in the cases — former CM Oommen Chandy, Congress leaders KC Venugopal, Hibi Eden, Adoor Prakash, MLA AP Anil Kumar and BJP leader (former Congress leader) AP Abdhullakkutty.
Incidentally, in November 2020, the Kerala government withdrew the general consent accorded to the CBI to operate in the state voluntarily.
Hitting out at Kerala government, Hibi Eden remarked how the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) government had been vehemently opposing the central agency until recently, citing the Periya murder case, where two Youth Congress workers — Kripesh and Sharath Lal — were stabbed to death. CPI(M) local committee leader at Periya in Kasaragod is the key accused in the case.
“Despite the deceased persons’ families pleading to the Chief Minister to allow a CBI probe, the state government spent lakhs to go to the Supreme Court against the investigation by the central agency in the case. This is part of an election campaign,” said Hibi Eden.
“The solar scam case has turned to be a tiger that jumps out rightly during the election time,’ he said. “It is humiliating for the government that they are playing this political game, keeping the accused in the solar scam in the forefront,” added the Lok Sabha MP.
The Congress leader and MP from Ernakulam constituency also recalled the massive victory of the UDF in the past parliament elections. "There is no doubt that Kerala society will ignore this deservingly," said Hibi Eden.
Hibi Eden is booked under sections 376 (rape) and 354 A (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty) of the Indian Penal Code; Adoor Prakash under IPC sections 376 (rape), 354 (A) and section 120 (O) (causing through any means of communication nuisance to any person) of the Kerala Police Act; and AP Anil Kumar has been charged under IPC sections 377 (unnatural sex), 354 (A) (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty) and section 420 (cheating).