Calcutta HC tells Shah Rukh Khan to file affidavit in IIPM case

The petitioners’ lawyer Debanjan Dutta told the high court on Thursday that the chief justice of Delhi High Court while hearing a public interest litigation in 2017 had declared IIPM a fake institution without any affiliation.

Calcutta High Court on Thursday directed Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan to file an affidavit on the nature of his relationship with Indian Institute of Planning and Management (IIPM) and his role in spreading its business operations.

Justice Basak said Khan, the West Bengal government and IIPM’s owner will also have to file an affidavit stating why the matter should not be handed over to CBI. (HT image)

Justice Debangshu Basak of the high court was hearing a petition by two students of IIPM’s Salt Lake campus, which closed down along with other branches in the country. The students alleged that they lost more than ₹20 lakh each they gave during their admission to IIPM.

The petitioners’ lawyer Debanjan Dutta told the high court on Thursday that the chief justice of Delhi High Court while hearing a public interest litigation in 2017 had declared IIPM a fake institution without any affiliation. Dutta also sought a probe by the Criminal Bureau of Investigation (CBI) against IIPM.

Dutta said the petitioners filed a complaint at the Salt Lake Electronic Complex police station in March 2018 but there was no proper investigation. Subsequently, they moved Calcutta High Court in November 2018, charging Khan, IIPM promoter Arindam Choudhuri and their companies with fraud, criminal breach of trust and criminal conspiracy. Since Khan was IIPM’s brand ambassador, they also sought a CBI investigation against him.

Justice Basak said Khan, the West Bengal government and IIPM’s owner will also have to file an affidavit stating why the matter should not be handed over to CBI. The affidavits have to be given within two weeks of reopening of the court after puja recess, the order said.