Kerala High Court wants strict laws to curb cheating

The Kerala High Court Monday asked the state government to enact stringent laws against fraudsters.

"The state government should think of enacting laws similar to the Fraud Act in England," Justice S.S. Satish Chandran said while denying bail to dancer and film actress Shalu Menon in the solar scam cheating case.

"If stringent punishments are not handed over to those who cheat others, questions would be asked about the judiciary," Justice Chandran said.

Currently, all money-related cheating cases are tried under the Money Lenders Act.

The Kerala government has ordered a probe into the dealings of Saritha S. Nair and her live-in partner Biju Radhakrishnan, who were arrested for cheating investors on the promise of providing solar panels at subsidised rates.

While one member of the chief minister's staff has been arrested in this connection, two others have been sacked.

Menon is believed to have gained the most in the solar scam as she was close to Radhakrishnan. The court said if she was granted bail, it could be detrimental to the probe.

Nair Monday petitioned the court that she had not siphoned off any money and that the lives of her children were in danger.