Court Reopens Case Against Gautam Gambhir in Alleged Real Estate Fraud
The Rouse Avenue court has overturned a previous decision to discharge former BJP MP and Indian Cricket Coach Gautam Gambhir in a case involving alleged cheating of home buyers by real estate companies. The case involves a sum of Rs 3.5 crore, with accusations that Gambhir was the brand ambassador of the project.
Details of the Case
Special Judge Vishal Gogne set aside the discharge order from December 2020, stating that the Rs 3.5 crore collected as booking fees might be investigated as “proceeds of crime” if linked to criminal activities. The case has been sent back to the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate for a detailed new order on the charges.
Accusations and Investigation
The original discharge order included Gautam Gambhir and others, who were not charged but summoned by the trial court. A prima facie case was found under Section 420 IPC against some individuals and companies. The court noted that cheating is a scheduled offence under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002.
The complaint was filed by S K Shukla and others in 2015, alleging that the companies promoted a housing project named ‘Serra Bella’, later ‘Pavo Real’, in Ghaziabad. Gautam Gambhir, as the brand ambassador, allegedly attracted buyers. The project was entangled in litigation, with a court order prohibiting transactions on the land.
Doubts Revealed
Rouse Avenue court -: Rouse Avenue court is a special court in Delhi, India, that deals with cases related to corruption and other serious offenses. It’s named after the street where it’s located.
BJP MP -: BJP MP stands for Bharatiya Janata Party Member of Parliament. The BJP is a major political party in India, and an MP is someone elected to represent people in the Parliament.
Gautam Gambhir -: Gautam Gambhir is a famous Indian cricketer who played for the national team. He later became a politician and was elected as a Member of Parliament.
Brand ambassador -: A brand ambassador is a person who is hired to represent and promote a company’s products or services. They often use their popularity to help sell the product.
Money laundering -: Money laundering is a process where people try to hide the illegal origin of their money. They make it look like the money came from a legal source.
Real estate fraud -: Real estate fraud involves cheating people in property deals. It can include selling land or homes that have legal issues or don’t exist.
