A Thiruvananthapuram court has sentenced the solar scam accused Biju Radhakrishnan to six years of imprisonment. The case, in which Biju is the sole accused, pertains to forging official letters, including one in the name of former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, and swindling lakhs of money from a Dubai-based businessman, reports Madhyamam.
The Chief Judicial Magistrate Court in Thiruvananthapuram ordered the sentence, a year after the trial in the case got over. Since Biju Radhakrishnan has already completed four years in prison, in another related case pertaining to the solar scam, he has moved the court pleading for relaxation in the sentence. The court reportedly said the plea will be considered.
The controversial 2013 Kerala solar panel scam gave a major jolt to the former UDF-led government, headed by then CM Oommen Chandy. Crores were swindled by Kerala natives Saritha S Nair and her partner Biju Radhakrishnan, promising several customers to set up solar panels. The Congress-led government was in a tough spot, after allegations, including sexual offences, involving several top Congress leaders surfaced.
In the present case, where Biju Radhakrishnan has been convicted, he is accused of swindling Rs 75 lakh from a Dubai-based businessman hailing from Thiruvananthapuram.
In order to take people into confidence, Biju Radhakrishnan had reportedly faked letters of former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, from a computer centre in Kochi in 2012. Though the owner of the computer centre was arrested initially, he later became an approver in the case.
Though the chargesheet was filed in the case, naming Biju Radhakrishnan as the sole accused, the same case with charges of criminal conspiracy is registered in Thampanoor police station with multiple people as accused.
Biju Radhakrishnan was arrested in the cases related to the solar scam in 2016.
The sensational case later became instrumental in the UDF government losing power. Former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and other top Congress leaders were accused of receiving bribes as part of the deals with Saritha S Nair and Biju Radhakrishnan. An inquiry report by Justice G Sivarajan Commission relating to the solar scam was submitted to the state government in 2017.