Fortis ex-promoter’s wife accuses sister-in-law of illegally removing her from trust, case filed

Delhi Police's EOW has filed a case against Aditi Singh and her husband Shivinder for allegedly illegally removing a sister-in-law from a trust worth ₹500 crore.

New Delhi

(Representative photo)

The Delhi Police’s Economic Offences Wing (EOW) has lodged a case against Aditi Singh, the wife of the former promoter of Fortis Healthcare, Ranbaxy Laboratories and Religare Enterprises Shivinder Singh, on a complaint filed by their sister-in-law, accusing Aditi and Shivinder of illegally removing her from a trust and usurping control of the trust’s assets worth ₹500 crore.

The complainant, Japna Singh, is the wife of Shivinder’s brother, Malvinder Singh, who was also a promoter of the same companies. The brothers were arrested by the EOW in 2019 for allegedly siphoning off over ₹2,000 crore from Religare Finvest Limited.

The FIR lodged on January 16 against Aditi also names Shivinder and a leading healthcare society, which has an office in Vasant Kunj. They have been booked for criminal breach of trust, forgery and criminal conspiracy.

According to the FIR, Japna said that the healthcare society has assets (hospital infrastructure, medical equipment and property) worth ₹500 crore. “The society is entitled to 15% of the annual surplus revenue generated from hospital operations …The society generates a regular revenue stream of about ₹30 crores annually from hospital operations, making it a financially significant entity…I have been removed (from the society) by committing falsification/preparation of documents and other illegal means,” the FIR reads.

Japna, citing details of forensic audit reports, meetings and IT records, accused Aditi, Shivinder and society members of removing her without informing her and in breach of due formalities.

“Mrs. Aditi Singh and Mr. Shivinder Mohan Singh, along with their family members and associates, have sought to usurp control over the society’s ₹500 crore land holdings, ₹30 crore annual revenue, thereby securing personal financial benefit… This deliberate act of illegal marginalization by the accused persons ensured that through their relatives (Aditi’s mother, brother and others) retain control over the society’s governance, while legitimate members with rightful interests in the society’s objectives are ousted” reads the FIR.

The FIR says the accused created false/tampered documents and submitted the same to the Registrar of Society to enable the accused persons to usurp the control of society. “It is also alleged that legitimate members were removed without consent or resignation, forged resignation letters were placed on record. Meanwhile, family members of Mrs. Aditi Singh were retained to consolidate control…” says the FIR.

Police said both brothers, their wives and the society stakeholders will be interrogated.

HT’s calls and text messages to Aditi Singh’s legal representatives did not elicit any response till the time of going to print.