Saritha had close links at CM's office: Ganesh Kumar

KOCHI: Pathanapuram MLA K B Ganesh Kumar on Saturday deposed before the solar inquiry commission that Saritha S Nair had close connection with the office of former chief minister Oommen Chandy. Ganesh, who had been a minister in the UDF government, said before Justice G Sivarajan commission that he attended the inauguration of Team Solar's energy mart office in Tripunithura as per the instruction by personal staff of chief minister.
"I know Saritha since 2012 and I met her for the first time at Ernakulam guesthouse.She had come to invite me for the inauguration of Team Solar's energy mart office. She had introduced herself as Lakshmi Nair," said. He said that Team Solar had installed solar panels at his residence and he had contacted Saritha when it had to be repaired. Ganesh added that he had never met nor spoken to Biju Radhakrishnan, the prime accused in the solar scam.
Ganesh also said that he had not seen the controversial letter allegedly written by Saritha while she was in judicial custody. "I had not instructed my personal assistant Pradeep Kumar to visit jail and collect the letter from her, as alleged. I don't know if Pradeep had gone to meet her on his own," said Ganesh.
Later, Ganesh told reporters that former minister Shibu Baby John's associates had spent money in Pathanapuram constituency to defeat him in the recently concluded assembly elections.