Kirit Somaiya, son skip police summons, move court for pre-arrest bail

Amid a war of words between former allies Shiv Sena and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over the crowd-funding drive to save INS Vikrant, the Trombay Police on Wednesday night registered an FIR against Somaiya and Neil for allegedly siphoning off over ₹57 crore that was collected through the campaign to save the country’s first aircraft carrier from being scrapped.

Bharatiya Janata Party leader Kirit Somaiya and his son Neil have skipped the summons issued to them by the Trombay police station where a cheating case has been registered against them for allegedly misappropriating an amount of over ₹57 crore collected through crowd funding to save aircraft carrier INS Vikrant from being scrapped.

BJP leader Kirit Somaiya and his son Neil have skipped the summons issued to them by the Trombay police station where a cheating case has been registered against them for allegedly misappropriating an amount of over ₹57 crore collected through crowd funding. (HT PHOTO.)

Apprehending arrest in the case, the father-son duo has moved the Mumbai sessions court for anticipatory bail and their plea is slated to come up for hearing on Monday, April 11. Their lawyer, advocate Hrishikesh Mundargi said they are seeking pre-arrest bail primarily contending that the allegations levelled against the BJP leader and his son were frivolous and baseless.

Amid a war of words between former allies Shiv Sena and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over the crowd-funding drive to save INS Vikrant, the Trombay Police on Wednesday night registered an FIR against Somaiya and Neil for allegedly siphoning off over ₹57 crore that was collected through the campaign to save the country’s first aircraft carrier from being scrapped and convert the decommissioned vessel into a museum.

“The case has been registered under section 420 (cheating and dishonesty including delivery of property) and section 406 (punishment for criminal breach of trust) and section 34 (common intentions) of the Indian Penal Code,” an officer of the Trombay police station said.

The officer added that the BJP’s former MP from Mumbai North-East collected the donation but did not deposit it with the Maharashtra Raj Bhavan.

Somaiya has denied the allegations and said that he was ready to face any action. “No scam has taken place, not even worth a rupee in Vikrant fund collection. I have not done anything wrong. Raut (Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut) has been levelling allegations, but has not given proof to substantiate them. I am ready to face the investigation,” he had said while speaking to the media on Thursday.