The Hindu : Front Page : I did not conduct parallel inquiry: Chandy

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Thursday, Jan 19, 2006

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I did not conduct parallel inquiry: Chandy

Special Correspondent

Chief Minister says he had only checked the veracity of the information sent in by the Lok Ayukta.

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Chief Minister Oommen Chandy said here on Wednesday that he did not conduct a parallel inquiry into the charges before the Lok Ayukta against K. K. Ramachandran who resigned as Health Minister recently.

Talking to mediapersons after a Cabinet meeting, the Chief Minister said he had only checked the information sent in by the Lok Ayukta that the Minister was threatening witnesses in the case.

As the Lok Ayukta had sent the "shocking news" as information for the Chief Minister and not as its finding, he had no option but to seek the version of Mr. Ramachandran and conduct his own enquiries.

"Could I have sat on the information? I enquired only into the issue of threatening of the witnesses. If that was not the course of action to be taken, what had the Lok Ayukta expected me to do? I may be ignorant. But I am a Chief Minister who will act on such information."

Mr. Chandy added that he would have had no problem in acting if the Lok Ayukta had sent him its findings instead of material stated to be for the information of the competent authority.

He said he had only three options when he received the information from the Lok Ayukta - assume that it was a report (of findings), wait till the report came or reach a conclusion to the satisfaction of his conscience. The Lok Ayukta had stated specifically that it was not a report. "I could not have waited for the report considering the issues involved. I respect the Lok Ayukta. So, I thought the information was for me to act upon. I act fast, and if I err, I am willing to correct myself."

Asked about the criticism of his comments by the Lok Ayukta on Tuesday, the Chief Minister said only the God and the people could silence him. Constitutional institutions, he added, should work with mutual respect. As a member of the Assembly that passed the Kerala Lok Ayukta Act, he has the utmost respect for the Lok Ayukta.

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