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Tag: Kirit Somaiya

  • Hoarding collapse: How nod for billboard given by police instead of BMC? asks Kirit Somaiya

    Mumbai: A day after a hoarding collapse in Mumbai killed 14 persons and injured several others, BJP leader Kirit Somaiya asked how the permission for erecting the billboard was given by a police officer when the city civic body is the authority for it. Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, the former MP also claimed permissions for the hoarding and a petrol pump (where the billboard collapsed) were given when Uddhav Thackeray was the chief minister of Maharashtra.

    Had the then director general of police been strict, such a hoarding would not have come up, he said.

    Somaiya also said the permission on paper was given for a 40 feet hoarding whereas the billboard which collapsed was 120 feet tall. The billboard fell at a petrol pump in Ghatkopar during dust storms and unseasonal rains that lashed Mumbai on Monday, killing 14 persons and injuring 74. AllUttar PradeshMaharashtraTamil NaduWest BengalBiharKarnatakaAndhra PradeshTelanganaKeralaMadhya PradeshRajasthanDelhiOther States “An ACP of railway police, which is part of the Maharashtra state police force, gave permission for the erection of the hoarding on December 7, 2021. How can a police officer give such permission when such rights lie with the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC)? The permission on paper was for a 40 feet hoarding, but in reality, it was 120 feet high,” Somaiya said. “I believe that there are similar 400 hoardings in various parts of Mumbai, which are exceeding their size limits and standing on a weak foundation like the one in Ghatkopar,” he said. Somaiya said he has requested Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis to get such dangerous hoardings removed across Mumbai immediately. The land on which the petrol pump and the hoarding came up was given to the railway police wing of the Maharashtra Police, he said.

    It was then handed over to the Police Welfare Fund, Somaiya said, adding that of the total size of the land, around 40,000 square feet plot was given to some institution and later reserved for petrol pump.

    “After the fuel station came up, then ACP (Admin) Shahaji Nikam of railway police gave permission for the erection of the advertisement hoarding near it. It was illegal, but nobody took it up,” he claimed.

    The fuel station received permission on January 30, 2020, the BJP leader said.

    “It was run by Commissioner of Police Mumbai Railway Kalyan Nidhi Sanstha, but its operations and staff management were with the Lords Mark Industries Pvt Ltd. The monthly rent of the fuel station was Rs 16,97,440,” he said.

    Somaiya said he tried to find out details of the ownership of Lords Mark Industries, but its owners changed several times in the last couple of years.

    “All the permissions for the fuel station and hoardings were given when Uddhav Thackeray was the chief minister of Maharashtra. But I am not keen on politicising the issue. The focus should be on Bhavesh Bhinde of the Ego Media Pvt Ltd, the advertising agency responsible for erecting the hoarding near the fuel station and the police officials who gave permissions,” he said.

    “Had the then director general of police been strict, such hoarding would not have come up,” he said.

    Meanwhile, Mahindra Group Chairman Anand Mahindra on Tuesday posted a clip on his X handle showing the hoarding collapsing and said such an incident was unacceptable.

    “And we’re a city trying to transform itself into a modern metropolis. CM Shinde has ordered a probe into all hoardings. Stringent rules must follow,” he added.

    A case has been registered against Bhavesh Bhinde and others for culpable homicide not amounting to murder and other relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code at Pant Nagar police station, an official earlier said.

    The BMC on Monday issued a notice to the advertisement agency for installing the hoarding that collapsed on the petrol pump during the gusty winds.

    The Assistant Police Commissioner (Admin) had given permission for erecting four hoardings on behalf of the Commissioner of Railway Police, Mumbai, including the one which collapsed on Monday, but no official permission or NOC was obtained from the BMC, as per a civic official.

  • Raut’s statements against Medha Somaiya prima facie defamatory, says court; issues summons

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut, prima facie, made defamatory statements against BJP leader Kirit Somaiya’s wife Medha Somaiya, a Mumbai court held while issuing summons to the Sena leader in a defamation case filed by her.

    Metropolitan Magistrate (Sewree court) P I Mokashi had issued summons to Raut on Thursday, and the detailed order was made available on Friday.

    The magistrate has directed the Sena leader to appear before the court by July 4.

    The issuance of a process marks the beginning of criminal proceedings before a metropolitan or judicial magistrate based on a complaint lodged by an individual.

    Once the process is issued, the accused person has to appear before the court.

    Somaiya, in her complaint, filed through advocate Vivekanand Gupta, has claimed Raut had made baseless and completely defamatory allegations against her and her husband, accusing them of being involved in a scam worth Rs 100 crore in the construction and maintenance of some public toilets under the jurisdiction of the Mira Bhayander Municipal Corporation.

    “The statements made by the accused to the media are per se defamatory. The statements have been made to malign my character in the eyes of the general public,” the complaint had stated.

    She had urged the court to issue a notice to Raut and begin proceedings against him on the charges of defamation as defined under sections 499 and 500 of the Indian Penal Code.

    The magistrate held that documents and video clips produced on record, prima facie, reveals the accused has made defamatory statements against the complainant (Medha) on April 15 and 16 , 2022 so that it will be seen by the public at large and read by the public in the newspapers.

    It is also, prima facie, proved by the complainant that words spoken by Raut were such that it has harmed the reputation of the complainant, the court said.

    Thereby, ingredients of section 500 is, prima facie, proved against the accused, the court added.

    IPC section 499 pertains to defamation, while section 500 spells out punishment for the offence, which may be simple imprisonment for a term that may extend to two years or fine or both.

  • Police officers close to Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray killed Mansukh Hiran, alleges Kirit Somaiya

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: BJP leader Kirit Somaiya on Saturday alleged that some police officials “close to Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray” killed Thane-based businessman Mansukh Hiran.

    He will meet officials of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) which is probing the case, Somaiya told reporters.

    Officials from the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) were not available for commenting on the BJP leader’s allegation.

    The NIA on Wednesday claimed before the Bombay High Court that former police officer Pradeep Sharma was the main conspirator in the “cold-blooded murder” of Hiran, who was considered a weak link in the “larger conspiracy of terrorising” the family of industrialist Mukesh Ambani.

    Dismissed police officer Sachin Waze — also arrested in the case — gave Rs 45 lakh to Sharma for henchmen to kill Hiran, the NIA said.

    On February 25, 2021, an explosives-laden SUV was found near Mukesh Ambani’s residence ‘Antilia’ in south Mumbai.

    Hiran, who was in possession of the SUV earlier, was found dead in a creek in neighbouring Thane on March 5, 2021.

  • Attack on me sponsored by Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha government: Kirit Somaiya

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: A day after Shiv Sena supporters hurled footwear and water bottles at the SUV of former BJP MP Kirit Somaiya outside Khar police station in Mumbai, the leader on Sunday claimed the attack was “sponsored” by the Uddhav Thackeray government in Maharashtra.

    Somaiya had gone to the police station on Saturday to meet arrested independent MP Navneet Rana and her MLA husband Ravi Rana, whose earlier call for chanting Hanuman Chalisa outside Maharashtra Chief Minister and Sena president Uddhav Thackeray’s residence ‘Matoshree’ had angered the Sena cadres.

    Talking to reporters here on Sunday, Somaiya claimed, ‘The attack on me was sponsored by the Uddhav Thackeray government. Some 70-80 Shiv Sena workers had gathered at the gate of Khar police station when I visited it.”

    “I had personally informed police that I might be attacked by Shiv Sena goons and it later happened,” he said.

    The BJP leader claimed that a false FIR was registered by police in his name. “Such false FIR can only be registered in the regime of Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray. He and Mumbai Police Commissioner Sanjay Pandey are behind it,” Somaiya further claimed and demanded that Pandey be replaced immediately.

    Somaiya also said he will go to New Delhi and meet Union home secretary in connection with the case. The BJP leader had on Saturday tweeted that he was injured in the attack by “Shiv Sena goons”.

    Somaiya reached the Khar police station late evening in support of Amravati MP Navneet Rana and her husband MLA Ravi Rana who were arrested earlier in the day on the charge of “creating enmity between different groups”.

    Shiv Sena supporters, who had gathered outside the police station, protested against Somaiya’s visit and shouted slogans.

    While the BJP leader was leaving the police station in the SUV, a group of protesters hurled footwear and water bottles at his vehicle. Somaiya then travelled to the Bandra police station to file a complaint against Sena supporters.

  • Cheating case: Never amassed even 57 paise illegally, says Kirit Somaiya 

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: BJP leader Kirit Somaiya on Tuesday claimed that he never misappropriated even “57 paise” in his political life even as he rejected Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut’s allegation that he had amassed Rs 57 crore in the name of conserving the decommissioned aircraft carrier INS Vikrant.

    The former MP was speaking to reporters outside the office of the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) in south Mumbai where he arrived at 11 AM for recording his statement in the cheating case on the second consecutive day.

    “Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray via Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut falsely accused me of amassing Rs 57 crore in the name of conserving the decommissioned naval ship Vikrant.

    In my entire political life, I never amassed or misused even 57 paise illegally but now I am being falsely accused by the Shiv Sena,” said Somaiya.

    On Monday, EOW officials had quizzed Somaiya for three hours in connection with the INS Vikrant funds misappropriation case.

    Speaking about the probe, Somaiya said, “I have given the information related to the funds raised under the ‘Save Vikrant’ initiative to police officials concerned.

    The information is already in the public domain but as a part of the probe, I have produced it before them”.

    Based on a complaint lodged by an ex-serviceman, the Trombay police on April 7 registered an FIR against Kirit Somaiya and his son Neil Somaiya for allegedly misappropriating about Rs 57 crore collected through crowdfunding to save the decommissioned warship from being scrapped and converted into a museum.

    The Bombay High Court had last week granted interim protection from arrest to Kirit Somaiya and asked him to “report to the investigation officer in the case for four days, beginning from April 18, between 11 am and 2 pm”.

    “The real question that came up during the court hearing was the basis on which the figure of Rs 57 crore was arrived at by Sanjay Raut.

    What information does he have to quote the figure of Rs 57 crore? They will have to explain before the court,” Somaiya said.

  • INS Vikrant: BJP leader Kirit Somaiya quizzed for three hours in cheating case

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: The Economic Offence Wing (EOW) of the Mumbai Police on Monday quizzed BJP leader Kirit Somaiya for almost three hours in connection with the INS Vikrant funds misappropriation case, an official said.

    Somaiya reached the Police Commissioner’s office in south Mumbai at 11 AM.

    He left the commissioner’s office shortly after 2 PM during which the EOW recorded his statement.

    The official said that the EOW may call Somaiya again for questioning.

    Somaiya had denied the allegations of misappropriating the money raised to save the decommissioned aircraft carrier from being scrapped in 2014.

    Earlier, the EOW had issued summons to Somaiya and his son Neil Somaiya, a day after the Somaiya senior’s pre-arrest bail plea was rejected by the Mumbai sessions court on April 11.

    Based on a complaint lodged by an ex-serviceman, the Trombay police on April 7 registered an FIR against the Somaiyas for allegedly misappropriating about Rs 57 crore collected through crowdfunding to save decommissioned INS Vikrant from being scrapped and converted into a museum.

    The Bombay High Court on April 13 granted interim protection from arrest to Kirit Somaiya.

    A single bench of Justice Anuja Prabhudessai had directed Kirit Somaiya to cooperate with the police’s probe into the case and asked him to “report to the investigation officer in the case for four days, beginning from April 18, between 11 am and 2 pm.”

  • Vikrant fund case: HC grants interim protection from arrest to BJP leader Kirit Somaiya

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: The Bombay High Court on Wednesday granted interim protection from arrest to BJP leader Kirit Somaiya in a case of alleged misappropriation of funds collected in the name of saving the decommissioned naval aircraft carrier Vikrant.

    A single bench of Justice Anuja Prabhudessai said in the event of arrest in the case, Somaiya be released on a personal bond of Rs 50,000.

    Justice Prabhudessai also directed Somaiya to cooperate with the police’s probe into the case and asked him to “report to the investigation officer in the case for four days, beginning from April 18, between 11 am and 2 pm.”

    The HC will hear Somaiya’s pre-arrest bail plea further after two weeks on April 28. An FIR was registered against the former MP and his son Neil Somaiya on April 6 at Trombay police station here following a complaint by an ex-Army person, who claimed that Kirit Somaiya had collected Rs 57 crore from the public in 2013 for the restoration of Vikrant.

    The money was, however, never put to use or deposited with the governor’s office, as per the initial plan, the complaint stated.

    On Wednesday, advocate Ashok Mundargi, who appeared for Kirit Somaiya, told the HC that this was a “highly politicised matter”.

    He said that as part of several campaigns held earlier for the decommissioned naval aircraft carrier, Somaiya had led a collection at the Churchgate station in Mumbai.

    Mundargi said, “Rs 11,224 was collected in December 2013 at a programme at Churchgate. In 2014, the state government, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation backed out (of the initiative to restore the warship) and Vikrant was scrapped.”

    “No one knows where this figure of Rs 57 crore came from,” he said. When the court asked if Somaiya knew what happened to Rs 11,000 collected at Churchgate, Mundargi said he was not sure.

    “The governor didn’t respond to our letter on this amount collected by us. The money must be lying with some party worker or deposited somewhere,” Mundargi said.

    Senior advocate Shirish Gupte, who appeared for police, told the HC that the probe into the case was still on and the police needed to interrogate both Kirit Somaiya and the complainant.

    “We need some time and we need his (Kirit Somaiya’s) custody. His (Somaiya’s) whereabouts are not known. We couldn’t trace him. The 41-A CrPC notice (asking him to report for questioning) had to be pasted at his residence, we couldn’t serve it,” Gupte said.

    Mundargi, however, told the HC that the BJP leader was willing to cooperate with the police probe.

    He said Kirit Somaiya had left Mumbai because he was apprehending that he will be arrested without being given a chance to approach the court.

    While granting relief to the BJP leader, the HC took note of the fact that the allegations made in the FIR were “vague” and based mainly on news reports.

    “Prima facie, apart from the complaint that is so vague and based solely on media reports, there is no basis for the complaint. Unfortunately, from 2013 to 2022, nothing is done, no complaint lodged,” the high court noted.

    “In the light of the above, this is a fit case for grant of interim relief,” the HC said.

    Commissioned in 1961, INS Vikrant, a Majestic-class aircraft carrier of the Indian Navy, had played a key role in enforcing the naval blockade of East Pakistan during the Indo-Pakistan war of 1971.

    It was decommissioned in 1997. In January 2014, the ship was sold through an online auction and scrapped in November that year.

  • INS Vikrant case: Kirit Somaiya deposited money with BJP, claims Sanjay Raut

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: BJP leader Kirit Somaiya has said that he deposited money collected during the ‘Save INS Vikrant’ initiative with his party and hence, the government will have to decide whether that party should be made a co-accused in the “scam”, Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut claimed on Monday.

    Interacting with media persons here, Raut said Somaiya and the latter’s son Neil will “definitely go to jail”, but the duo is holding the BJP’s hand “as the two are drowning”.

    Somaiya had denied allegations of “misappropriation” of funds collected to save the decommissioned naval aircraft carrier which was scrapped in November 2014.

    Raut demanded the Centre to withdraw security provided to Somaiya if it is feeling “ashamed” over the episode and has affection for soldiers.

    The Shiv Sena MP also claimed that Somaiya is hiding “in a BJP-ruled state, either in Gujarat or Goa”.

    In a dig, Raut said a film titled “Bhag Somaiya Bhag” should be produced and asked why Somaiya was running from law if he has not done anything wrong.

    Raut’s comments come in the wake of senior counsel Ashok Mundargi, appearing for Somaiya, arguing before a court here that the ‘Save Vikrant’ campaign was launched not only by the BJP but also the Congress and the Shiv Sena, who are now allies in the state’s ruling coalition.

    The senior counsel submitted that the campaign to save the decommissioned warship was launched by the political party to which the accused (Somaiya) belongs and hence, what happened with the collected funds was not his client’s concern.

    Somaiya and his son managed to collect Rs 11,000 as it was nearly impossible to mobilize Rs 57 crore during the door-to-door campaign, the senior counsel submitted.

    “I heard his (Somaiya’s) lawyer say that the money was deposited to his party (BJP). You sought money in the name of saving Vikrant. People gave the money because you said it will be deposited in the Raj Bhavan but you gave it to the party. I have been saying that he used the money for the election. He has committed this offence,” Raut alleged.

    The Rajya Sabha MP sought BJP’s explanation on the issue. “He (Somaiya) is saying now he deposited the money to the party. Were you sleeping for 13 years then? You are saying this now to save your skin when we exposed the matter. Should the BJP also be made an accused in this case along with Somaiya? This government will have to decide,” Raut said.

    He said Somaiya’s act was akin to “deshdroh” (treason).

    Raut said that the answers to questions like whether the BJP had receipts of the money, what it did with the fund collected and others will be known through a probe.

    “But Somaiya has tried to sink the BJP as well. He will drown, but will also sink the BJP. Crooks like these are of nobody,” Raut said. He charged Somaiya with garnering “hundreds of crores” by “blackmailing and threatening” people.

    “There are countless cases of his and all these cases are somewhere related to the BJP,” he alleged.

    Raut also said that the BJP will have to give an account of what it did with the money Somaiya allegedly deposited with it.

    The Shiv Sena leader said it was “unfortunate” that “a blackmailer” like Somaiya was provided security by the Centre.

    “Security of the absconding man, who engaged in a scam involving INS Vikrant, must be withdrawn if the Centre is feeling ashamed and has affection towards our soldiers,” Raut said.

    He added that the Centre or Union Home Minister Amit Shah himself should pay attention to the matter and find out the “main accused (Somaiya) in the INS Vikrant scam”.

    “Somaiya should be arrested and handed over to the Mumbai Police. I know where he is, I will inform the probe agencies,” Raut added.

    Raut also tweeted in Hindi saying that the Somaiyas will go to jail and will be lodged in a cell next to that of NCP leaders like Anil Deshmukh and Nawab Malik, who were jailed following actions by central agencies in separate cases.

    Earlier in the day, Raut had demanded issuing a lookout notice in the name of the Somaiya senior and his son, contending the duo may flee the country.

    The Shiv Sena leader has been accusing Somaiyas of misappropriation of over Rs 57 crore collected in the name of saving the ship.

    The Mumbai Police last week registered a case of cheating against the Somaiyas based on a complaint lodged by a former Army personnel.

    On Monday, a court in Mumbai rejected the anticipatory bail application of Kirit Somaiya in the case. The court is likely to pass an order on Neil Somaiya’s anticipatory bail application (ABA) on Tuesday.

  • INS Vikrant case: Mumbai court rejects pre-arrest bail plea of BJP leader Somaiya

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: A court here on Monday rejected the anticipatory bail application of BJP leader Kirit Somaiya in a case pertaining to alleged misappropriation of over Rs 57 crore funds collected to save aircraft carrier INS Vikrant.

    Kirit Somaiya, a former MP from Mumbai, and his son Neil have been booked in the case. Fearing arrest in the case, the duo had sought anticipatory bail from additional sessions judge R N Rokade.

    The judge, while refusing pre-arrest bail to Kirit Somaiya, said there were pictures to show he collected money in the name of saving the decommissioned aircraft carrier from getting dismantled, but the same was not deposited with the state governor’s office.

    The court will give its ruling on Neil Somaiya’s anticipatory bail application on Tuesday. The case against the father-son duo has been filed based on a complaint lodged by a 53-year-old former Army man at the Trombay police station in suburban Mankhurd.

    Commissioned in 1961, INS Vikrant, a Majestic-class aircraft carrier of the Indian Navy, had played a key role in enforcing the naval blockade of East Pakistan during the Indo-Pak War of 1971.

    It was decommissioned in 1997. In January 2014, the ship was sold through an online auction and scrapped in November that year.

    The complainant said that Kirit Somaiya had started a campaign to raise funds for INS Vikrant.

    He had said he had given donations to the former Lok Sabha MP for saving the warship and the BJP leader had collected more than Rs 57 crore for the purpose.

    However, instead of depositing the amount to the Maharashtra governor’s secretary’s office, he misappropriated the funds, the complainant alleged. Kirit Somaiya has rejected the allegation.

  • Vikrant fund collection: BJP leader Kirit Somaiya, son Neil summoned by police on Saturday

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: BJP leader Kirit Somaiya and his son Neil Somaiya have been summoned on Saturday to join the probe in a case lodged in connection with collection of funds to turn aircraft carrier Vikrant into a museum, a police official said.

    The father-son duo has been asked to remain present before the investigating officer in Trombay police station, he said.

    “Police had gone to issue summons to them at their home in Mulund East, but it was locked,” he added.