The Supreme Court on Tuesday sent three directors of the Amrapali group to police custody for not handing over all the documents of the 46 group companies to forensic auditors. The three directors are Anil Kumar Sharma, Shiv Priya and Ajay Kumar.
A bench of Justices Arun Mishra and UU Lalit took offence to the Amprapali group not handing over all the documents to forensic auditors and said that they will remain in police custody till they hand over all the documents, reported news agency PTI.
The apex court’s order came on a batch of petitions filed by home buyers who are seeking possession of around 42,000 flats. The judges were particularly upset after the auditors informed the bench that the Amrapali group had handed over documents relating to only 6 of the 46 companies.
“Why this hide and seek and the violation of the compliance of our order? Whatever they (forensic auditors) want, it should be handed over by today,” Justice Mishra was quoted by news agency IANS.
The bench, according to NDTV, said, “You are playing with the dignity of this court. You are not complying with this court’s earlier orders as far as the forensic audits are concerned. Why the documents related to forensic audits have not been submitted to the auditors yet? You are deliberately attempting not to comply with the court’s orders.”
The bench directed the Delhi Police to take the assistance of Noida Police and seize all necessary documents. Justice Mishra said, “It is a blatant violation of the orders passed by this court” and “If you fail to give any documents, you will not come out of this (custody).”
On September 12, the apex court had appointed NBCC to develop stalled projects of the realty firm and directed the Debts Recovery Tribunal to sell the unencumbered commercial properties of the group
It had also directed the opening of an escrow account in the apex court in which the amount received after the sale of properties would be deposited and later disbursed to the NBCC to start construction of the pending projects in Group A and B Categories
Besides, it directed that bank accounts, balance sheets and other documents of all the 46 Amrapali companies and Jotindra Steel, since 2008 be given to the forensic auditors.