Court orders fresh probe against Gautam Gambhir in cheating case
Special Judge Vishal Gogne said in his order, "The impugned order (in which Gambhir was discharged) reflects the inadequate expression of mind in deciding the allegations against Gautam Gambhir. The allegations also merit further investigation into the role of Gautam Gambhir.”
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Gautham Gambhir. (FILE photo)Directing a fresh investigation, a Delhi court on Tuesday set aside the discharge of former cricketer and current head coach of the Indian cricket team Gautam Gambhir and others by a magisterial court in connection to a case where flat buyers were allegedly cheated.
Special Judge Vishal Gogne said in his order, “The impugned order (in which Gambhir was discharged) reflects the inadequate expression of mind in deciding the allegations against Gautam Gambhir. The allegations also merit further investigation into the role of Gautam Gambhir.”
The alleged cheating case was lodged against real estate firms Rudra Buildwell Realty Private Limited, H R Infracity Private Limited, U M Architectures and Contractors Limited, and Gambhir, who was a director and brand ambassador of the companies’ joint venture.
According to the prosecution, the accused had promoted an upcoming housing project at Indirapuram in Ghaziabad, called ‘Serra Bella’, in 2011, which was renamed ‘Pavo Real’ in 2013.
The prosecution alleged the complainants booked flats in the project and paid various amounts, ranging between Rs 6 lakh and Rs 16 lakh after being lured by the advertisements and brochures. However, even after the payments, no infrastructural or other development of significance was made on the plot and the land remained bereft of any progress till 2016 – the time of making of the complaint, it added.
“The only accused who in fact did have any direct interface with the investors, in his capacity as a brand ambassador, was Gautam Gambhir,” the judge noted. He added that though Gambhir had been discharged, the magisterial court’s order made no reference to him paying Rs 6 crore to Rudra Buildwell and receiving Rs 4.85 crore from the company.
The judge observed that the chargesheet filed in this case did not clarify whether the amount paid to Gambhir by Rudra was sourced from the funds received from the investors in the project.
Sending the case back to the magisterial court, Judge Gogne directed it “to pass a detailed fresh order on the charge specifying the allegations against each accused”.
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