The Kerala police on Thursday arrested Saritha S Nair, who allegedly floated a fake solar energy company along with her husband, Biju Radhakrishnan, and cheated investors, for repeatedly ignoring summons of a local court in Kozhikode. The court earlier cancelled the couple’s bail and pulled up the police for not arresting them.
The scam surfaced in 2013 after the couple floated the fictitious solar energy company called Team Solar and cheated many by seeking investments with the promise of making them business partners or offering to install solar power units. They allegedly flaunted their “high connections” to attract gullible investors.
Kozhikode businessman Abdul Majeed filed a case against the couple in 2012 accusing them of taking ₹42.70 lakh from him for a franchise of their company besides installing solar panels in his office and house. But neither the contract was executed, nor the money refunded, the complainant said.
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The couple is facing over 40 cases. They have been convicted in four and were out on bail. Oommen Chandy, the then chief minister of Kerala, sacked two of his private secretaries and the state public relations director for their alleged involvement in the scam.
{{/usCountry}}The couple is facing over 40 cases. They have been convicted in four and were out on bail. Oommen Chandy, the then chief minister of Kerala, sacked two of his private secretaries and the state public relations director for their alleged involvement in the scam.
{{/usCountry}}Nair later accused Congress leaders, including Chandy, of sexually harassing her. The Pinarayi Vijayan government in Kerala handed over this case to the Central Bureau of Investigation two months back but the agency is yet to take it up.
A police complaint was also filed last year against Nair for allegedly accepting money to help some people get government jobs. Nair also tried to contest the 2019 Lok Sabha elections against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in Wayanad, but her nomination papers were rejected as she had been convicted in two solar scam cases. In November, the Supreme Court rejected her plea challenging Gandhi’s election and fined her.