File photoThrissur: Vigilance Court on Thursday ordered that FIR should be filed against Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and Minister for power and Transport Aryadan Mohammed after solar-scam accused Saritha S Nair raised bribery allegations against them.
"Justice should be same for all - whether it is the Prime Minister or Chief Minister," the court observed, while ordering probe against Chandy.
The court was considering a plea by a social activist after Saritha raised bribery charges against the ministers in her statement to the solar scam probe panel on Wednesday.
Read: Saritha comes out with startling allegations in solar case
On Wednesday, Saritha had deposed before the commission that she had paid bribe to Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy's aide and also to Power Minister Aryadan Mohammed's personal assistant.
However, both Chandy and Aryadan had rejected these charges.
'Ready to face any enquiry'
Reiterating that he has not committed any wrongdoing, Chandy said that he was ready to face any enquiry.
"Will face any enquiry. My conscience is clear and that is my strength," Chandy told reporters in Kozhikode.
Protest in Malappuram, Kozhikode
Activists of the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) and the Yuvamorcha staged protest against Chandy in Kozhikode and waved black flags at him.
Following the violent protests, Chandy cancelled all his programmes for the day in the Malabar region and left for Kochi.
Minister Aryadan Mohammed also faced much protest in Malappuram, where he was taking part in a function.
AICC rings in Chandy
All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary Mukul Wasnik interacted with Oommen Chandy over the phone and took stock of the developments in solar case.
Mukul Wasnik and senior Congress leader A.K. Antony also met president of the Indian National Congress Sonia Gandhi and discussed the matter.
'UDF ministry should step down'
Kerala Opposition leader V.S. Achuthanandan warned of dire consequences if Chandy doesn't step down.
Reacting to the Vigilance Court's order against the Kerala CM, CPM Politburo member Pinarayi Vijayan said that the entire UDF cabinet should resign.
"It's not K Babu's resignation letter that Chandy should be submitting to the Governor, but his own," Pinarayi said during the Nava Kerala March in Mannarkkad.
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