The solar scam acquired an altogether new tinge on Thursday after A. Firoze, top bureaucrat and co-accused, turned himself in after going underground for more than a month.

Earlier in the day, the Kerala High Court rejected his plea for anticipatory bail and asked him to surrender by 10 a.m. on Saturday.

Suspended Director of the Public Relations Department, Firoze had initially approached the Thiruvananthapuram sessions court for bail, which was turned down. Subsequently, he had moved the high court.

On Thursday, Firoze presented himself under intense media glare at the Medical College police station here, where a case of fraud had been registered against him in 2009.

He was accused of defrauding a city-based builder of Rs 40 lakh on the false promise of arranging an Asian Development Bank loan for setting up a solar facility. Firoze had reportedly introduced the builder to Biju Radhakrishnan and Saritha Nair, the main accused in the scam.

TREMENDOUS PRESSURE

The scam has put the Oommen Chandy-led Government under tremendous pressure, with the Opposition demanding his resignation citing involvement of his personal staff in the scam.

At least three of his staff has had to go since. A series of expose have sought to link some of Chandy’s Cabinet colleagues with the accused, though in different contexts.

Meanwhile, the Opposition have resolved to launch an indefinite day-night agitation here from July 22 to press its demand.

Protest demonstrations taken out earlier this month saw the State Assembly adjourn sine die, apart from leading to pitched battles with the police in full riot gear for days together.

Latest twist in the evolving tale was an aborted move by some parties in the Opposition to hoist Finance Minister K.M. Mani as a replacement for Chandy.

vinson.kurian@thehindu.co.in

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