Solar scam accused Saritha Nair gets 6 years of rigorous imprisonment in cheating case

A magistrate court in Kozhikode on Tuesday sentenced con woman Saritha S Nair to six years of rigorous imprisonment in a cheating case in which she had pocketed Rs 42.70 lakh from a person promising solar energy solutions.

This was one of the cases related to the solar scandal, which had rocked the previous Congress-led Government, in which Saritha has been arraigned as the accused. Saritha had pocketed huge sums from various investors promising solar solutions and partnership in wind energy projects. She had won the confidence of the investors by boasting her clout in government, particularly in the office of then chief minister Oommen Chandy.

The court in Kozhikode ordered that Saritha has to pay a fine of Rs 40,000 in the case, which was registered in 2018. She is the second accused. The punishment against the first accused Biju Radhakrishnan, a friend and business partner of Saritha, would be pronounced as he is in quarantine.

The court had postponed the verdict several times after Saritha failed to turn up before the court. A week back, the court issued an arrest warrant against her. She was arrested and jailed in judicial custody. Cheating cases are pending against Saritha and her co-accused Biju in several courts in Kerala. Three courts had already issued arrest warrants against Saritha in cheating cases as she failed to turn up before the courts.