Thiruvananthapuram: The Special Investigation Team probing the solar scam has filed a chargesheet against Biju Radhakrishnan, actor Shalu Menon and her mother Kaladevi for cheating Rs 1.05 crore from two persons here offering windmills and solar panels.
It is for the first time that Shalu and her mother have been chargesheeted in a case pertaining to the scam. Shalu was earlier arrested by SIT and later released on bail.
Various sections of Indian Penal Code for cheating, criminal conspiracy, breach of trust and impersonation have been framed against Biju and Shalu, which could attract a minimum jail term of two years and can extend up to ten years. Kaladevi is charged with harbouring the offender, which can attract a jail term of up to five years for allegedly helping Biju to abscond. Saritha S. Nair, a key accused in the solar scam, is the 32nd witness in the case out of 116 witnesses.
The case pertained to siphoning off Rs 75 lakh from a city-based businessman Raziq Ali by offering him windmills in Tamil Nadu and Rs 29.60 lakh from a city-based doctor Mathew Thomas by offering him windmill for Rs 28 lakh and solar panels at his house for Rs 1.6 lakh.
A team led by Reji Jacob, assistant commissioner (District Crime Records Bureau, Thiruvananthapuram), probed the case. About 200 material documents were also produced in support of the charges.
