The Bombay High Court on Thursday directed return of Rs 20 lakh to filmmaker Rakesh Roshan which was swindled by two conmen posing as officers of Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in 2011.
Justice MS Karnik asked for the return of the money noting that there was no reason to withhold the remaining of the amount, considering that earlier Roshan was allowed to withdraw Rs 30 lakh.
In 2011, two men – Ashwini Sharma from Haryana and Rajesh Ranjan from Mumbai – had approached Roshan claiming to be CBI officers and sought money to settle an alleged dispute arising from a complaint by one of Roshan’s line producers. Roshan paid them Rs50 lakh to settle the dispute. He subsequently realised that he was misled and falsely implicated. He then lodged a complaint with the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) which registered a first information report (FIR) in August 2011.
Both Accused Duped Many People
The CBI took over the case and arrested two men. The central agency learnt that the duo had duped several others too. It recovered documents of 21 immovable properties and money to the tune of Rs2.94 crores which allegedly included Roshan’s Rs50 lakh.
Roshan approached the special CBI court seeking return of his money. The special court, on November 9, 2012, partly allowed his application and granted a return of Rs30 lakh. The court had also asked Roshan to furnish an indemnity bond for Rs50 lakhs as security with the court till the end of the trial.
In 2020, Roshan filed another application seeking return of the remaining Rs20 lakh, which was lying with the special court. The special court rejected the application on December 14, 2021 observing that he was seeking a review of the 2012 order which allowed return of part amount. It also said that Roshan had not challenged that order and sought return of the entire amount.
Rakesh Roshan Approaches Bombay HC
The film maker then approached the HC seeking quashing of the orders passed in 2012 and 2021. He contended that in 2012 the special court had not curtailed his right for claiming return of the remaining Rs 20 lakh. Further he said that he had submitted an indemnity bond for the entire amount of Rs50 lakh till the end of trial.
Claiming that the amount has been lying with the special court since 2012 and that the trial is yet to be concluded, Roshan has sought return of the amount.
