Hiranandani moves HC, seeks quashing of CBI charge sheet

Mumbai: Prominent builder Niranjan Hiranandani has approached the Bombay High Court seeking to quash the charge sheet filed against him by the CBI in a case of alleged corruption, criminal conspiracy and cheating. Hiranandani, 61, sought the quashing and setting aside of the charge sheet filed against him in September 2010 by the CBI’s Anti-Corruption Bureau for not depositing provident funds of the employees of his group to the tune of Rs 9 crore.

The ACB had charged him under sections pertaining to criminal conspiracy, cheating and under provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act. A division bench of Acting Chief Justice V K Tahilramani recently posted the petition for hearing on February 14 and granted an interim stay on the trial against Hiranandani. The builder approached the high court after a co-accused, K Gopalan, was discharged from the case.

“The petitioner cannot be vicariously held responsible merely because he is a director of the company,” the petition said. According to the prosecution, the Hiranandani Group had not deposited provident funds of its employees between 2003 and 2006. The alleged non-payment, as per a report submitted by the Employee Provident Fund Organisation in its departmental enquiry, was to the tune of Rs 9.36 crore.

Apart from Hiranandani, two employees of the group and four officers from the EPFO have been arraigned as accused in the case. Following the EPFO’s report, the CBI lodged an FIR in the case in March 2008.