HC refuses Kerala MLA Ganesh Kumar’s plea to quash solar conspiracy case

The high court directive is a setback to Kumar as it comes when he is slated to take over as the state Transport Minister, replacing Antony Raju, an MLA from Janadhipathya Kerala Congress, for the next two-and-a-half years.

Before moving to the LDF in 2016, Kumar was a minister in the previous Congress regime led by Oommen Chandy until he quit in the wake of domestic violence case allegations raised by his wife.

The proceedings against Kumar, on charges including criminal conspiracy, were initiated by the first-class magistrate court at Kottarakkara in Kollam after a complaint from Congress leader Sudheer Jacob.

Jacob alleged that Kumar had fabricated a letter purportedly written by a woman, a key accused in the solar scandal, naming Chandy as one of the politicians who had sexually abused her.

Chandy died on 18 July 2023. In September, while exonerating the late Chandy of the sexual abuse charges, the CBI hinted at a political conspiracy behind the allegations and pointed at the role of Kumar, chairman of LDF constituent Kerala Congress (B).

Stating that the allegations that Kumar had plotted to implicate Chandy were serious, Justice Kunhikrishnan said: “The former CM has passed away. Such an allegation should not be in the air because his soul will not forgive the same. The continuation of this case is necessary not only for the soul of the former CM and his bereaved family, but also to prove the integrity of the petitioner too. Let the soul of our former CM rest in peace.”

“On the other hand, if such an allegation against the petitioner who is a member of the Legislative Assembly is incorrect, the petitioner can take appropriate steps for malicious prosecution against the complainant Sudheer Jacob,’’ the court added.