The embarrassing prospect of being cross-examined by solar scam accused Saritha S. Nair and her associate Biju Radhakrishnan likely awaits former Chief Minister and Congress leader Oommen Chandy at the G. Sivarajan Commission probing the scam.
The Left-leaning All India Lawyers Union has approached the commission inquiring the scam seeking permission to cross-examine Mr. Chandy. More applications are expected in the coming days to cross-examine the senior Congress leader. The commission may soon take a call on it, judicial sources said.
In-camera proceedings
The proceedings may be held in camera if any person who wishes to cross-examine him prefers to do so and the commission accepting the plea.
It would be by invoking Section 8C of the Commissions of Inquiry Act, 1952. The option for cross-examination will be open to persons under Section 8 B of the Act, which says that if the “commission is of opinion that the reputation of any person is likely to be prejudicially affected by the inquiry, the commission shall give to that person a reasonable opportunity of being heard in the inquiry and to produce evidence in his defence.”
Incidentally, the commission had examined Mr. Chandy in Thiruvananthapuram for nearly 13 hours while he was serving as Chief Minister.
The commission chose to hold its sitting at the State capital considering the many official engagements of the Chief Minster.
Sources said the turn of Mr. Chandy may come after completion of the first round of examination of witnesses. About 15 more witnesses are to be examined by the panel to complete the first round of examination.
164 witnesses
The panel, which began its proceedings three years ago, had already examined 164 witnesses, including most of the Cabinet Ministers of the Chandy government, the then Leader of the Opposition V.S. Achuthanandan, a few legislators, and political party leaders.
The term of the G. Sivarajan panel will end on October 28.
