Priyanka Tiwari
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Suspense crime, Digital Desk : Mumbai, India – A special Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) court in Mumbai has accepted a closure report filed by the ACB in a long-standing case involving alleged irregularities in the development of a prime land parcel in Powai by Hiranandani Developers. This decision brings significant relief to prominent developers Niranjan and Surendra Hiranandani, and former senior bureaucrat Thomas Anthony, who were named in the First Information Report (FIR).
The case, which dates back over a decade, centered on allegations that the developers, in collusion with officials, violated a tripartite agreement between the Maharashtra government, the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), and the developers. The complaint, lodged by activist Santosh Daundkar, claimed that land meant for mass housing was improperly used for luxury projects, resulting in undue benefits to the developers and losses to the state.
The ACB, after its investigation, submitted a 'C-summary' report, indicating that while there might have been departmental lapses or procedural irregularities, no "cognizable offense" (a crime for which police can arrest without a warrant) was found. The agency concluded there was insufficient evidence to establish a criminal conspiracy or to prove that public servants had abused their positions for financial gain for themselves or the developers.
This was the second closure report filed by the ACB. An earlier report submitted in 2016 was rejected by a magistrate's court, which had ordered a further probe into the matter. The Bombay High Court had initially ordered the registration of an FIR in 2012 based on Daundkar's petition.
Special Judge A N Sirsikar, presiding over the ACB court, accepted the latest closure report on Thursday. However, the legal battle may not be entirely over. Activist Santosh Daundkar has expressed his intention to challenge the special court's order in a higher court, likely the Bombay High Court.
For now, this ruling effectively closes the investigation at the ACB court level, suggesting that the evidence gathered did not meet the threshold for criminal prosecution against the Hiranandani brothers or the involved officials under the Prevention of Corruption Act or relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code concerning criminal conspiracy.
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