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It's a long shot but it is also possible we actually underestimate the "evil" Saruman actually did. Between Mandos, Vaire and Illuvitar himself, it is possible the Tolkinien cosmology contains the concept of predestination/knowledge of the future, and that, in cases of the "judgement" of a soul, thier deeds were accounted with this is a factor. In other words, one might be judge not only on any evil acts you did yourself, but any evils that resulted from those deeds; including those occuring long after one was born.
To consider this in terms of Saruman specifically. Let us consider what his "sins" were. Turning from his mission of course, but, as noted, Radagast seems to have turned from his as well and, (as far as we know) the Valar did not punish him with such severity (whether or not Radagast ever returned to Aman, we don't hear anything about, say, the Valar sending a message to any straggling elves to track Radagast down and execute him for "abandoning" his mission, or Gwahir being told to ambush him carry him over jagged mountains, and drop him). He wants to claim the ring, but Isildur actually DID claim the ring, and as far as we can tell, his death, while certainly abrupt, does not seem so far outside of the normal purview of ends of men to require the hand of the Valar to intervene.
But then we get to Saruman's tendency towards technology and mechanization. In and of themselves, tecnology is not neccecarily considered a bad thing in ME cosmology (if it was, Aule would have to be accounted among the bad guys). But choosing tech OVER nature clearly is. And that is what Saruman seemed to do, building great engines of war, doing (or at least encoruaging) crossbreeding of orc and man on a massive scale, engaging in wholesale deforestation, and generally taking the concept of, for lack of a better term "souless science" to prominence. Under Tolkein's rather pro-bucolic view, pretty serious crimes in and of themsevles. But more importantly, since ME is, within the context of the story, supposed to be OUR OWN early history, and, in our own world, the mentaility of Industrialization over nature and science over faith are so prevalent, to the point of nearly being dominant, one could argue that Saruman, as such a strong proponent of these thing, and as an encourager of them in man's mind, could be responsible, and deserve punishment for, setting humanity on that path. Like a Tolkenian Prometheus, or the Serpent of Eden his sin is not merely giving man fire against the will of the Gods, or talking them into going agaisnt divine will, but giving them "knowledge" that turns them from the path of true wisdom. By Valar/Tolkien standards, that could be a sin of near cosmic levels.
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