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Journalism of Courage
A Delhi court has ordered an FIR against tennis player Maria Sharapova after a luxury housing project buyer in Gurgaon filed a complaint that the project publicised in the name of tennis star Sharapova never took off.
Scheduled to be finished in 2016, Homestead Infrastructure Development, Homestead Infrastructure Maintenance, Homestead Arabic Homes, the company directors and Sharapova are all party to the complaint filed by Bhawana Agarwal, according to a report by Times of India. Agarwal said that the project proposed a tennis academy and commercial space for clothing and sportswear which lured her interest.
“Sharapova not only aggressively promoted the fraudulent activities of the accused, but also supported the project in the eyes of the general public and is, therefore, a part of this criminal conspiracy,” the complainant said. The complainant’s advocate revealed that Sharapova had come down to India few times in 2013 to meet prospective buyers.
The court said, “If the averments of the complainant are to be believed, it shows that nothing has happened on the said project and alleged persons have no licence or sanction for construction or development at the project, for which the complainant paid Rs 53.03 lakh.”
“If the alleged persons have no licence or sanction to raise the residential flats in the name of ‘Ace by Sharapova’, Sector 73, Gurgaon, and accepted Rs 53 lakh to book a flat of unit area of 2,500 sqft, then they have undoubtedly committed criminal offence,” the court said, directing the SHO concerned to register an FIR under relevant sections and to investigate “all angles”.
