Saritha was still a teenager when her father, a clerk, died, leaving the family struggling financially
The woman at the centre of Kerala's most explosive corruption scandal began as a sharebroker in a small town. Today, Saritha Nair, 36, threatens to bring down the state government.
She and her live-in partner Biju Radhakrishnan are charged with swindling businessmen with the promise of solar panels at cheaper rates. They allegedly also dropped big political names to land contracts.
Politicians singed by their alleged association with the couple include Chief Minister Oommen Chandy.
Before she became "Solar Saritha", she was a school topper in Chengannur town, around 100 km from Thiruvananthapuram. "She remembers all her grades and even her registration numbers. She scored above 90s and is very proud of her academic scores till today," a government official said.
Saritha was still a teenager when her father, a clerk, died, leaving the family struggling financially.
When she turned 18, she was married to a man working in the Gulf. In the next few years, she had two children and gained diplomas in electronics, communication, aircraft maintenance and engineering.
After her studies, Saritha joined a share brokerage firm. Her next job, with the Kerala Housing Finance Limited, set her on the path to glamour, power and money. Here she met Biju Radhakrishnan, who was married at the time.
Their association began when they were both accused of siphoning money invested by clients.
When Biju Radhakrishnan's wife died in 2006, of "unnatural causes" as the police say, he allegedly ran away from the hospital. He and Saritha left town and started a new life in Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu.
Saritha became Nandini Nair the chartered accountant. Biju pretended to be a strategic investor and even an IAS officer who had quit the service for a doctorate in solar and non-conventional energy.
The couple set up multiple bogus companies that promised loans at cheaper rates or invited investors for fake projects.
"They were very good at name dropping. If Saritha proposed a project to someone who would show interest, the next call would be from Biju who would pretend he was calling from London. They would invite politicians to functions, take photographs with them and expand their connections," said sources who have access to the investigation.
By 2010, Saritha Nair and Biju Radhakrishnan had over 20 cases against them.
The two set up "Team Solar" in 2011. They changed their names to Lakshmi Nair and Dr RB Nair, though the company was registered on their original names.
Official statements reveal that Saritha and Biju first contacted Oommen Chandy's personal staff to make a donation for a relief fund on behalf of Team Solar. Call records show they kept in touch with the staff.
Saritha allegedly used information she extracted from the Chief Minister's office to keep tabs on people and impress clients. She gained access to several politicians, including ministers. One minister who allegedly had close ties with Saritha had to resign after his wife accused him of domestic violence.
In the "solar scam" Saritha and Biju allegedly made six crores by fooling businessmen. They were arrested twice and let off on bail before being arrested for the third time in 2013.
The death of Biju's wife - written off as suicide earlier - was handed over to the crime branch for investigation. Biju was arrested for his wife's murder and is currently serving a life term.
In jail, Sarita Nair wrote a letter naming several VIPs, to be handed over to the court. Former jail officer Alexander Jacob has told investigators that he received requests from several high profile guests, including politicians, to meet Saritha Nair in jail.
For alleged con artistes who rarely cheated businessmen of amounts more than 50 lakhs, their proximity to power became the cause of their downfall.