Bengaluru: Former Kerala chief minister Oommen Chandy was on Monday cross-examined in a city civil court in the solar project cheating case during which he replied to about 30-odd questions.
Additional City Civil and Sessions Court Judge N.R. Channakeshava had directed the Congress leader to be present in the court for cross-examination by the prosecution.
Bengaluru-based businessman M.K. Kuruvilla had filed a petition in 2015 seeking return of Rs 1.60 crore deposited with SCOSSA Educational Consultants Private Limited, the first defendant, for setting up a solar power project in Kerala.
Chandy was earlier directed by the court to appear before it on December 13, but he failed to do so.
The prosecution posed 30-odd questions to Chandy during the hearing, which lasted an hour.
Several questions were posed to Chandy including whether he was aware of the various stages of the case or he personally knew his counsels and on.
Chandy was asked whether he knew his counsel Santosh Kumar personally.
In reply, the former chief minister said he had met Santosh Kumar on quite a few occasions but did not know the location of his office at Thiruvananthapuram.
Chandy said he did not personally know the other two counsels, living in Bengaluru.
Later, the judge adjourned the hearing for Tuesday, directing Chandy to appear before him for resumption of cross-examination.
Channakeshava also directed the prosecution to wind up the cross-examination Tuesday.
On January 2, the prosecution had sought time to study the affidavit, as he alleged that it was different from the copy of the affidavit he received.
Sustaining the plea, the judge had adjourned the matter for hearing on Monday.
On October 24, the court had directed six persons, including Chandy, and a firm to pay together an amount of Rs 1.6 crore to Kuruvilla, with 12 percent interest, for a solar project that did not materialize.