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BJP leader Kirit Somaiya quizzed in INS Vikrant cheating case
The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the Mumbai Police on Monday questioned Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Kirit Somaiya for about three hours in connection with the INS Vikrant funds misappropriation case, people familiar with the development said
The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the Mumbai Police on Monday questioned Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Kirit Somaiya for about three hours in connection with the INS Vikrant funds misappropriation case, people familiar with the development said.
On April 7, the Trombay police had registered a first information report (FIR) against Somaiya and his son Neil for allegedly misappropriating about ₹57 crore collected through crowdfunding to save decommissioned INS Vikrant from being scrapped. The FIR was filed based on a complaint lodged by an ex-serviceman.
The EOW recorded Somaiya’s statement after he reached the police commissioner’s office in south Mumbai at 11 am and left shortly after 2 pm, people cited above said. His son was not questioned.
The EOW in past had asked Somaiya to remain present before the investigators for questioning over alleged collection of donations between 2013 and 2014 for saving the aircraft carrier INS Vikrant and not depositing the collected fund with the government. Somaiya had denied the allegations of misappropriating the money raised in 2014.
Somaiya secured interim protection from the Bombay high court on April 13 after his anticipatory bail application was rejected by a sessions court on April 11. The high court, while granting interim protection, had asked him to join the probe between April 18 and April 21.
