Bombay HC grants interim protection from arrest to Kirit Somaiya
“The FIR indicates that allegations are mainly based on media reports. Though there are specific allegations of misappropriation of Rs 57 crore, there is no material on record to indicate on what basis the complainant has arrived at the said figure,” the HC observed.
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Mumbai, April 14: Bombay High Court granted interim protection from arrest to BJP leader Kirit Somaiya in connection with alleged swindling of funds collected for restoration of INS Vikrant, the Navy’s first aircraft carrier. Somaiya had approached the High Court for a pre-arrest bail on Tuesday, a day after the sessions court rejected his plea.
Justice Prabhudessai also directed Somaiya to cooperate with police's probe into the case and asked him to "report to the investigation officer in the case for four days, beginning from April 18, between 11 am and 2 pm."
An FIR was registered against the former MP and his son Neil Somaiya on April 6 at Trombay police station here following a complaint by an ex-Army person, who claimed that Somaiya had collected Rs 57 crore from the public in 2013 for restoration of Vikrant.
He said that as part of several campaigns held earlier for the decommissioned naval aircraft carrier, Somaiya had led a collection at the Churchgate station in Mumbai.
Commissioned in 1961, INS Vikrant, a Majestic-class aircraft carrier of the Indian Navy, had played a key role in enforcing naval blockade of East Pakistan during the Indo-Pakistan war of 1971.
A single bench of Justice Anuja Prabhudessai said in the event of arrest in the case, Somaiya be released on a personal bond of Rs. 50,000.
“The FIR indicates that allegations are mainly based on media reports. Though there are specific allegations of misappropriation of Rs 57 crore, there is no material on record to indicate on what basis the complainant has arrived at the said figure,” the HC observed.
Justice Prabhudessai also directed Somaiya to cooperate with police's probe into the case and asked him to "report to the investigation officer in the case for four days, beginning from April 18, between 11 am and 2 pm."
An FIR was registered against the former MP and his son Neil Somaiya on April 6 at Trombay police station here following a complaint by an ex-Army person, who claimed that Somaiya had collected Rs 57 crore from the public in 2013 for restoration of Vikrant.
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However, the money was never put to use or deposited with the governor's office, as per the initial plan, the complaint stated. On Wednesday, advocate Ashok Mundargi, who appeared for Kirit Somaiya, told the HC that this was a "highly politicised matter".
He said that as part of several campaigns held earlier for the decommissioned naval aircraft carrier, Somaiya had led a collection at the Churchgate station in Mumbai.
Commissioned in 1961, INS Vikrant, a Majestic-class aircraft carrier of the Indian Navy, had played a key role in enforcing naval blockade of East Pakistan during the Indo-Pakistan war of 1971.