October 10, 2018:

On Wednesday, Supreme Court ordered the sealing of 9 properties of the 'Amrapali Group' where the documents related to its 46 group companies are kept.

The properties are in Noida, Greater Noida, Rajgir and Buxar in Bihar.

Bench of Justice U U Lalit and Justice D Y Chandrachud directed that after the sealing of all 9 properties, the keys will be handed over to the Registrar of the Top Court.

The order comes a day after 3 directors namely Anil Kumar Sharma, Shiv Priya and Ajay Kumar of the Amarpali Group were taken into Police Custody on the orders of the Supreme Court after they failed to hand over account books to Forensic Auditors appointed by the Top Court.

Supreme Court said that the company was playing “hide and seek” with the court and not complying with its orders of handing over all the documents.

On Wednesday, Court ordered the 3 Directors to file an undertaking that no documents are kept at any other place except at these 9 properties of the Real Estate Firm.

It further said that only the Court appointed 'Forensic Auditors' and their authorized representatives can enter the premises that are to be sealed.

Court also said that the Directors be kept at Police Station and not in the lock up till the 7 premises in Noida & Greater Noida are sealed.

The order came on a batch of petitions filed by home buyers who are seeking possession of around 42,000 flats.

The 2 Auditors namely Ravi Bhatia & Pawan Kumar Aggarwal who were appointed by the Top Court to conduct Forensic Audit of Amrapali Group, had said that they have not yet received all the documents, which the SC Bench had termed as “gross violation” of its order.

Bench had also noted that as per the 2 Auditors, documents of only 2 out of 46 firms namely Amrapali Zodiac & Amrapali Princely Estates — were handed over to them despite Supreme Court’s order to provide all documents.

Source: Hindustan Times

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