Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy. (Express photo by Ravi Kanojia) Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy. (Express photo by Ravi Kanojia)

Former Kerala DGP (Jail) Alexander Jacob on Friday told the judicial commission probing the solar scam that he had learnt from his jail staff that a letter written by prime accused Saritha S Nair, which was meant to be handed over to the court, had names of 13 VIPs and a senior police officer.

But he added that the letter, which was originally 21 pages long but was reduced to 4 pages after a person visited her, did not contain the name of Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy.

He told the commission that when Nair was lodged in the jail in Thiruvananthapuram on July 23, 2013, a gang came in a jeep and they had a gun in the vehicle. But they drove away when the jail staff at the gate telephoned the control room.

Deposing before the commission, Jacob said the prison authorities had received 150 applications, including some from prominent politicians, to see Nair on the first day of her being lodged in Thiruvananthapuram jail. He said the commission would be “taken aback” if their names were revealed but refused to give any VIP names or the name of the senior police officer. He also said that he hadn’t personally seen the letter.

The former DGP’s revelation is in tune with the allegation that Nair’s original letter was “spoiled” to cover up the names of several high profile politicians and officials who had allegedly abused her.

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