Police send notices to Kirit Somaiya, Neil in INS Vikrant fund misuse case

Mumbai: The police has sent notices to Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and former Member of Parliament Kirit Somaiya and his son Neil to join the probe at 11 am on Saturday in connection with the cheating case registered against them

Mumbai: The police has sent notices to Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and former Member of Parliament Kirit Somaiya and his son Neil to join the probe at 11 am on Saturday in connection with the cheating case registered against them. When the team visited their residence in Mulund to serve the notice under CrPc 41 (A), both were not present at the house, said a police officer who is part of the investigation team. The notices have been delivered at their residence, added the officer.

Trombay police registered a case of cheating against Kirit Somaiya and Neil on Thursday for alleged misappropriation of over ₹57 crore from funds collected to save aircraft carrier INS Vikrant. (HT PHOTO)

Trombay police registered a case of cheating against Kirit Somaiya and Neil on Thursday for alleged misappropriation of over ₹57 crore from funds collected to save aircraft carrier INS Vikrant. The case against them was filed under Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections 406 (criminal breach of trust), 420 (cheating) and 34 (common intention) based on a complaint lodged by a 53-year-old former Army personnel. Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut had on Wednesday accused Somaiya of siphoning off funds collected from people as donations to save INS Vikrant.

The BJP leader had dismissed the allegations saying if there was any evidence, then it should be handed over to chief minister Uddhav Thackeray. Raut kept up his attack on Somaiya on Thursday saying the BJP leader laundered the funds he siphoned off through the Punjab and Maharashtra Cooperative (PMC) Bank.

Speaking to reporters in New Delhi, Raut said that the ‘Save Vikrant’ campaign was also launched in other states. “I have only spoken about Maharashtra where about ₹58 crore were collected. They have collected more than ₹200 crore. Kirit Somaiya has used in his campaign, a chunk of the funds were laundered through PMC Bank, and some of it was also used in the business of Neil Kirit Somaiya,” Raut said.

“I am told that 711 boxes were used to collect the money. They were kept in his office at Neelam Nagar, Mulund. Some of them were opened and BJP workers were called to count. The money was diverted through PMC bank. Some boxes were taken to Kirit Somaiya’s friend, who is a developer in Juhu. It is a case of money laundering as well,” Raut said.

Responding to the allegations, Somaiya had on Thursday said that he was ready to face any action if found guilty. “No scam has taken place; not even worth a rupee in Vikrant fund collection. I have not done anything wrong. I am not scared of any action. Raut has been levelling allegations but has not given any proof to substantiate them.

Somaiya did not answer a query on whether the collected money was submitted to the governor or the government. Shiv Sena workers also staged protests against Somaiya across Mumbai, Thane, Nashik, Aurangabad, Sangli and other districts. The party workers waived saffron flags and shouted slogans against Somaiya and the BJP.

Commissioned in 1961, INS Vikrant, a Majestic-class aircraft carrier of the Indian Navy, had played a key role in enforcing the naval blockade of East Pakistan during the Indo-Pakistan War of 1971. It was decommissioned in 1997. In January 2014, the ship was sold through an online auction and scrapped in November that year.