FIR against Kirit Somaiya and son for ‘misappropriation’ of funds

Shiv Sena workers protest against Kirit Somaiya at the INS Vikrant memorial, Kala Ghoda on Wednesday. Pics/Pradeep Dhivar

An FIR has been filed against former MP and BJP leader Kirit Somaiya and his son Neil at the Trombay police station. The FIR lodged by a ex-militaryman, has alleged that Somaiya collected funds on the pretext of giving them for the repairs and conversion of INS Vikrant into a museum, and misappropriated them. The complainant claimed he too had donated Rs 2,000 and felt cheated when he came to know that the money collected never reached Raj Bhavan.

Baban Bhosale, a former sepoy in the Indian Army, has claimed that in 2013 while he was passing by Churchgate Railway station, he saw Kirit and Neil Somaiya and others collecting money for the repairs of INS Vikrant and to convert it into a war museum. "As an army man and since I knew what Vikrant has done for us, I donated Rs 2,000. After few months, I read in the newspaper that the Vikrant had been scrapped. In reply to an RTI query asking whether funds collected by Kirit Somaiya and others were sent to Raj Bhavan, the secretary of the governor clearly said no such money was received. "

"I came to know that Somaiya and others collected Rs 57 crore in the drive. I felt cheated hence filed the FIR," he added. According to the complaint, the Trombay cops have lodged an FIR against Kirit and his son Neil Somaiya under sections 420 (cheating and dishonesty including delivery of property) and 406 (punishment for criminal breach of trust) and 34 (common intentions) of the Indian Penal Code.

Somaiya ready

Somaiya said, "From the funds collected during the ‘Save INS Vikrant' campaign, not a single penny was misused. I am ready to face any kind of inquiry into the matter." "I have given enough documents and evidence against Sanjay Raut and other Sena leaders. However, Raut never gives any such proof against me. I have not even received a copy of the FIR, which has been reportedly filed against me," he added. Rehana Sheikh, senior inspector of Trombay police station said, "The FIR has been filed and the investigation is on."

In a show of strength on Thursday, Shiv Sena workers across the state demanded the arrest of Somaiya. Later in the afternoon, Sena MP Sanjay Raut, who has levelled allegations against Somaiya, was accorded a grand welcome by party workers on his arrival from Delhi at the airport. The workers pledged support to Raut in view of the attachment of his family's assets by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). On Wednesday, Nationalist Congress Party president Sharad Pawar raised the issue with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, calling the action injustice to the Rajya Sabha member.

Talking to reporters, Raut said the BJP was digging its own grave by misusing the agencies against opposition leaders and wondered why the party's leaders did not seek an explanation from Somaiya for the purported embezzlement of funds collected for a nationalistic cause. "Somaiya has diverted the funds through PMC Bank to invest in his company. Not only Maharashtra but the other states will also have criminal cases registered against Somaiya and his son," Raut said.

"Pawar expressed concern to the PM about my case. You should understand that the gesture shows that all the three parties (in the MVA) are together and support each other. One may call it a crisis but we take it as an opportunity," he said, before leaving for an audience with Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray. Somaiya has challenged Raut to submit evidence to prove the allegations.

Inputs from Agencies