Mumbai: Court has rejected BJP leader and former MP Kirit Somaiya’s son Neil Somaiya’s anticipatory bail application. A case has been registered against Somaiya and his son in Mumbai for swindling money deposited for the warship ‘INS Vikrant’. Both the leaders had gone to the sessions court and sought protection from arrest. However, yesterday, after the court rejected pre-arrest bail application of Kirit Somaiya, today it has also refused to grant pre-arrest bail to Neil Somaiya. This has come as a shock to the Somaiya family.
Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut has accused Kirit and Neil Somaiya of corruption in the INS Vikrant case. Somaiya’s father and son were later charged following a complaint by a former soldier.
A case of cheating was registered against Maharashtra Kirit Somaiya and his son Neil. An official said on April 7, that Mumbai Police registered case against them for alleged swindling of over ₹ 57 crore funds collected to save aircraft carrier INS Vikrant.
The case was filed on the basis of a complaint filed by a former Army Personnel. The case has been registered on April 6 evening at Trombay police station at suburban Mankhurd, he said.
Indian Navy Ship Vikrant was a Majestic-class aircraft carrier of the Indian Navy. The ship was laid down as HMS Hercules for the British Royal Navy during World War II, but was put on hold when the war ended. It had played a key role enforcing the naval blockade of East Pakistan during the Indo-Pakistan War of 1971.
The complaint stated that a campaign raising funds for INS Vikrant was started by Kirit Somaiya. The former Army Personnel said that he had given donations to Kirit Somaiya for saving the ship and the BJP leader had collected more than ₹ 57 crore for the purpose. However, he alleged that BJP leader didn’t deposit the amount to the Maharashtra governor’s secretary office, instead he swindled the funds.
On April 6, to raise the issue, local Shiv Sena leaders had met with the police authorities.
Based on the complaint, a case under Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections 406 (criminal breach of trust), 420 (cheating) and 34 (common intention) was registered against Kirit Somaiya, his son Neil and others, the police official said.
Rejecting the allegation, Kirit Somaiya had said that if Sanjay Raut has any evidence, he should hand it over to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray.
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