Mumbai: With clean chit, Omkar group seeks release of seized assets

Mumbai: Following discharge from a money laundering case involving Yes Bank, Omkar Group promoters have filed an application before a special court seeking that their realty firm's office premises in Worli (valued at Rs330 crore), cash, documents and digital devices among other things seized by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) be released.

The two promoters – Babulal Varma and Kamalkishore Gupta – had been in judicial custody since their arrest last year. They secured bail after an apex court ruling of July 27, 2022, according to which if the scheduled offence in the case does not exist, the money laundering offence registered its basis would not stand. In their case, the cheating case had been closed, which led to their bail and then discharge in August.

In their plea seeking the release of their properties, the realty firm Omkar Realtors and Developers Pvt Ltd and the duo sought that their properties attached as per a provisional attachment order of January this year, as well as digital matter seized from them, and cash be released.

Through another application, the promoters sought that the lookout circular (LOC) issued against them by the Bureau of Immigration be withdrawn. The plea said that since they are exonerated from the case, it is futile to see that the LOC is kept open.