A Mumbai court has expressed serious concerns over the incomplete investigation into funds collected by BJP leader Kirit Somaiya and his son for the decommissioned INS Vikrant. The court has ordered the police to conduct a more thorough probe and submit a detailed report.
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MUMBAI: A Mumbai court has raised serious concerns over the lack of a thorough investigation into the funds collected by BJP leader Kirit Somaiya and his son, which were purportedly raised to save the decommissioned naval aircraft carrier INS Vikrant. The court has directed the police to conduct further investigation and submit a detailed report, marking a significant development in the ongoing legal proceedings.
Background of the Case
The controversy revolves around the funds collected by Kirit Somaiya and his son during a campaign aimed at saving the decommissioned INS Vikrant. Commissioned in 1961, INS Vikrant was a Majestic-class aircraft carrier of the Indian Navy and played a pivotal role during the Indo-Pakistan War of 1971, particularly in enforcing the naval blockade of East Pakistan. After serving the nation for decades, the ship was decommissioned in 1997, eventually sold through an online auction in January 2014, and subsequently scrapped in November of the same year.
The Cheating Allegations
In April 2022, a case was registered against Somaiya and his son at the Trombay police station, following a complaint by an ex-serviceman who claimed to have donated Rs 2,000 in 2013 for the campaign to save INS Vikrant. The complainant alleged that Somaiya had collected over Rs 57 crore from various donors for this purpose. However, instead of depositing the collected amount with the Maharashtra governor’s secretary office, the funds were allegedly misappropriated.
Initial Investigation and Closure Report
The case was eventually transferred to the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the Mumbai police for a more detailed investigation. The investigation officer handling the case submitted a ‘C’ summary (closure report) to the court, stating that after conducting a probe, it was found that the “crime comes under the category of neither true nor false.” According to the police, the informant lodged the complaint due to a misunderstanding, and they requested the court to accept the ‘C’ summary.
However, Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate S P Shinde, presiding over the case at the Esplanade court, expressed dissatisfaction with the investigation. After examining the statements of witnesses who had donated money for the campaign,
the court noted-
“It seems that witnesses contributed and the accused collected funds during the campaign. However, the court noted a significant gap in the investigation, pointing out that the investigating officer failed to present any documentation showing that the funds were deposited with the Maharashtra Governor’s office or the state government.”
The court emphasized the need for further investigation into what exactly was done with the funds collected by Somaiya and his son, highlighting that this critical aspect was overlooked.
“Therefore, in this matter, the investigating officer has not looked into how the accused utilized the funds they collected.”
-the magistrate pointed out.
In addition to this, the court observed that the accused had conducted fundraising drives at several other locations, yet the investigation officer failed to record statements from witnesses in these places who also claimed to have contributed.
“However, the investigating officer has not made any effort to record statements from other witnesses who have also claimed to have contributed.”
– the court remarked.
Given the facts and circumstances, the magistrate concluded-
“Given the facts and circumstances of the case, it seems that further investigation is required.”
Consequently, the court directed the investigation officer to conduct a more thorough probe in light of these observations and to submit a report on their findings.