Kozhikode: The Judicial Magistrate Court has found controversial entrepreneur Saritha S Nair guilty in a cheating case related to the setting up of solar panels on Tuesday .
The court sentenced her to six years of rigourous imprisonment. The court awarded the imprisonment in four different crimes including cheating. A fine of Rs 10000 has been pronounced in four crimes, totalling Rs 40,000.
Saritha is the second accused in the case. Judicial First Class Magistrate-III K Nimmi acquitted the third accused B Manimon, while the verdict of Biju Radhakrishnan, the first accused in this case, was put on hold for pronouncement later as he hadapplied for leave for being under quarantine.
The case pertains to a cheating complaint filed by Abdul Majeed of St Vincent Colony. He had accused Saritha of cheating him of Rs 42.70 lakh after promising to install solar panels at his residence and office.
Majeed was also allegedly offered the franchises of their firm Team Solar for Kozhikode, Kannur, Malappuram and Wayanad districts. He was also offered partnership in a windmill project.
Though the trial in the case was completed in October 2018, the pronouncement of the verdict was postponed four times till April 2019. Following the arrival of a new magistrate, the arguments were heard again and the verdict was finally posted for February 2021.
However, the case dragged on after Saritha failed to appear before the court. Following her repeated absence, an arrest warrant was finally issued and she was arrested in Thiruvananthapuram on Thursday.
Saritha S Nair and her accomplice Biju Radhakrishnan had swindled many people of crores of rupees promising to install solar panels and offering franchise and jobs in their company, Team Solar Renewable Energy Solutions Company.
