KOCHI: In the first solar scam related case in which the prime accused Sarita S Nair and Biju Radhakrishna were arrested, the two were awarded three-year imprisonment today. A fine of Rs 10,000 was also imposed to each of them. Perumbavoor Judicial First Class Magistrate Court passed the verdict after completing the trial for allegedly cheating Sajjad, a gulf returnee of Rs 45.50 lakh.
Meanwhile, the court acquitted noted dancer and actress Shalu Menon and her mother who were also involved in the case.
The police has registered a case (crime number 368/2013) under 406 IPC (criminal breach of trust), 419 IPC (punishment for cheating by impersonation), 420 IPC (cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property) r/w 34 IPC (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention).
The prosecution case was that Saritha swindled crores of rupees from the public with the aid of her then partner Biju Radhakrishnan. They floated a company, Team Solar Renewable Energy Solutions with a registered office in Kochi after being released on bail on cheating cases including cheque case. The duo placed advertisements for setting up roof-top solar panels and attracted many. Celebrity clients including ministers, film stars, NRIs and doctors were the main victims of the fraud.
Moreover, to convince the investors, Sarita had told them that former ministers, judicial officers including judges and top police officials are their clients.
Sarita and Biju had changed their names and personal details to trap the investors. Sarita also introduced her name as Lekshmi Nayar and Dr. B R Nair.
Saritha was arrested by the Perumbavoor police in the case registered on charges of cheating Sajjad. Sarita and Biju had collected the amount from him after promising to support him in setting up a power plant at Mudikkal and also to invest in wind mills at Radhapuram in Tamil Nadu.