(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) The Kerala High Court on Friday granted bail to Tenny Joppan, former private secretary of Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and popular television actress Shalu Menon, both accused in the solar scam, rocking the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) government.
The prosecution had opposed bail to the actress and sought imposition of strict conditions for granting bail to the former aide of the chief minister, but Justice S S Sateeshchandran rejected both the pleas while considering the applications filed by the two accused.
While Tenny Joppan will be set free after executing a bond of Rs50, 000 and two solvent sureties for the like amount and giving an undertaking to appear before the investigating officers as and when required, Shalu has been asked to appear before the investigating officer every Monday for eight weeks besides executing a bond of Rs100, 000 and two solvent sureties for equal amount.
Both the accused have been asked not to leave the state for six months. Joppen, who was arrested on June 28 on the complaint of businessman Sreedharan Nair that he abetted the fraud committed by Saritha S Nair, is in custody for 57 days while the tele actress has been languishing in jail for the last 44 days.
Shalu Menon was arrested on July 11 on a complaint by Rafique Ali, a native of the state capital of Trivandrum, that she accompanied scam accused Biju Radhakrishnan when he collected over Rs7 million from him and for helping the latter to escape from Kerala.
While Jopan is likely to be out of prison by Saturday, Shalu may have to remain in jail until she gets bail in another case filed against her on the complaint lodged by prime accused Saritha. Shalu was earlier granted bail in the case related to the escape of Biju Radhakrishnan.
The scam pertains to financial cheating of several people by Saritha and her live-in partner Biju, by offering clients solar energy solutions. The con couple allegedly used their connections with Tenny Joppan and others in the CM's office for duping their clients of huge sums. They have 33 cases registered against them.
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