Ready to oblige inquiry in palmolein oil scam: Chandy

Thiruvananthapuram, Aug 9 (ANI): Kerala Chief Minister Oomen Chandy has said he readily welcomes any probe into the palmolein oil scam that took place when he was state's finance minister.

Talking to reporters here, Chandy said he would abide by the court's orders, both on moral and legal grounds.

"See, I am welcoming any type of inquiry. I have personally requested in the last minister's time in the assembly, outside assembly to conduct the inquiry. I told them, I will not face the inquiry politically. I will face the inquiry only on moral and legal grounds. So I am welcoming this inquiry and cooperate with the inquiry," he added.

Commenting on these, P K Kunhalikutty, a lawmaker supported Chandy by saying that the party is confident that he would come clean.

"We are not questioning the verdict of the court but we are confident that they cannot find any fault with Oommen Chandy when he was Finance Minister at that time," he added.

On Monday, a special court has asked the prosecution to probe the role of Chandy in the 1992 Palmolein oil import deal.

Special Vigilance Judge S Jagadeesh, who passed the order, rejected the report filed by investigators in April last stating there was no need for a further probe to add any more person to the list of accused.

The vigilance and anti-corruption bureau has been asked to submit the report of the investigation within three months.

Oommen Chandy was the Finance Minister in the K. Karunakaran Government, when Palmolein was imported from Malaysia.

The Palmolein oil import scam occurred during the year 1991-92 in Kerala.

The charge sheet in the case was filed in 2000 against Karunakaran and seven senior state government officials, including Chief Vigilance Commissioner Thomas, who was then Kerala Food Secretary.

According to the charge sheet, filed under the Prevention of Corruption Act and the Indian Penal Code, the accused caused the exchequer a loss of Rs 2.32 crore by importing Palmolein through a Singapore-based firm at exorbitant rates. (ANI)