Thiruvananthapuram: CPI leader C Divakaran on Monday stated that Jose K Mani, against whom the accused in the solar scam had levelled allegations of sexual abuse, will not be protected.

The state government on Sunday had announced a CBI probe into the solar rape case in which former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, UDF leaders KC Venugopal, Adoor Prakash, Hibi Eden and BJP leader AP Abdullakutty are facing charges.

All the accused in the case will have to face the CBI enquiry. It is not the state government who decides who all should be punished, Divakaran told Mathrubhumi News.

The Nedumangad MLA also said that there is no connection with the CBI probe in solar rape case and the Assembly polls. The LDF had raised this issue during the tenure of the previous government. The recommendation for CBI probe received wide attention because it came ahead of the election. In usual circumstances, a case being handed over to CBI may not obtain such attention, he added.

The UDF is asking why the case was not handed over to CBI earlier. Their concern is the delay in recommending the CBI probe. It is the state government who gets to decide when and which case should be sent for CBI probe, Divakaran further stated.