The Bombay High Court on Wednesday granted anticipatory bail to Bharatiya Janata Party leader Kirit Somaiya and his son Neil Somaiya in the INS Vikrant corruption case, Live Law reported.
Senior counsel Shirish Gupte, representing the Mumbai Police, told the court that no evidence was found to confirm the allegations of misappropriation of funds worth Rs 57 crore.
Kirit Somaiya and his son had filed for pre-arrest bail on April 9 after the Mumbai Police registered a criminal case against them on the basis of a complaint by 53-year-old former Army officer Baban Bhosle.
According to the complaint, Somaiya had started a campaign between 2013 and 2014 to raise funds to restore the aircraft carrier INS Vikrant. However, the money raised was allegedly not deposited with the Maharashtra governor’s secretary office but rerouted into his own business.
A first information report was filed against Kirit and Neil Somaiya under Sections 420 (cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property), 406 (punishment for criminal breach of trust) and 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) of the Indian Penal Code.
In April, interim relief was granted to both of them.
On Wednesday, Gupte stated that their custody was not required for now, Bar and Bench reported.
In case the police wished to take Somaiya in custody, he will be notified 72 hours in advance, Gupte told the court.
“We, however, would require him to continue to appear for interrogation,” Gupte added.
A notice has been issued to the accused persons under Section 41-A of the Code of Criminal Procedure, the counsel for the Mumbai Police told the court. As per this order, they will have to appear before the police on August 17 and 18, he said.
Advocate Ashok Mundargi, appearing for the Somaiyas, denied all the allegations and told the court that this was a “politicised matter”, PTI reported.
After hearing the arguments, a bench of Justice Bharati Dangre made absolute the interim relief granted to Somaiya and Neil in April, reported Live Law.
“When the government intended to retire the vessel as it had outlived its usefulness…it is alleged that under the guise of reviving it, huge amount of money was collected,” the order stated. “On the last date of hearing, the prosecution was asked the approximate amount that was collected. Today, the senior counsel said Rs 57 crore was allegedly collected, but there is no proof.”
Meanwhile, Somaiya took to Twitter to declare the court’s verdict.
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