‘Letter against Oommen Chandy was written as directed by Ganesh Kumar, accused later rewrote it in own handwriting’

KOLLAM: The statement is that a four-page letter alleging sexual harassment against former chief minister Oommen Chandy and Congress leaders was prepared on the directions of Minister Ganesh Kumar and handed over to the accused in the solar case by Saranya Manoj. Feny Balakrishnan, the lawyer of the accused, gave a statement before Kottarakkara Judicial First-Class Magistrate E R Arjun Raj. Feni in his statement said the accused later changed the letter in own handwriting.

Feni also said that Ganesh Kumar had personally met him and requested help. The trial is underway in the case filed by lawyer Sudheer Jacob, alleging that the accused had conspired to defame Oommen Chandy and added four extra pages to the letter written by the solar accused from jail. Solar accused and Minister Ganesh Kumar are the first and second accused.

The meeting with Ganesh Kumar was between Enathu and Kottarakkara on M C Road in April 2015. Ganesh's personal assistant A Pradeep Kumar called him. Ganesh, who arrived in another car, got into Pradeep's car and requested Feni for help. He said that Pradeep and Saranya Manoj were in charge of everything and should do whatever they say. Later, called several times and gave instructions on phone.

On May 12, 2015, Saranya Manoj waited near Kottarakkara Faith Home on M C Road and handed over the letter to Feni and the accused. In the four-page letter, it was written that Oommen Chandy abused the solar case accused at Cliff House and that K C Venugopal, Adoor Prakash, A P Anil Kumar and Hibi Eden had abused her at various places. When Feni asked why written like this, Manoj replied that they are behind Ganesh Kumar losing ministerial post and should something in return. The accused wrote the letter in own handwriting after reaching Thiruvananthapuram.

Feni testified that the letter prepared on July 19, 2013 and handed over to Feni in Pathanamthitta jail on July 27, had 21 pages, but the one given to the solar commission was a fake letter of 25 pages. The accused in the solar case told him that should tell the judicial commission that Congress leaders including Oommen Chandy had sexually abused her, and that was saying this on Ganesh Kumar's directions and that the accused in the solar case told him that it would be beneficial if does that. However, Feni said that he did not give such a statement to the solar commission. Ganesh Kumar's plea to postpone the trial of the case until elections has been adjourned to March 11.