Bombay HC extends relief to Kirit Somaiya in INS Vikrant case

MUMBAI: The

Bombay high court

on Tuesday extended till July 7 an interim protection granted in April against arrest to Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader

Kirit Somaiya

and his son Neil Somaiya in connection with an alleged case of misappropriation of public funds collected for restoration of INS Vikrant, the Indian Navy’s first aircraft carrier.


Justice Bharati Dangre before who the matter came gave additional time to the Police to file its affidavit in reply to Somaiya’s plea too.

On April 13, then bench of justice Anuja Prabhudessai had observed that the complainant prima facie does not disclose how he arrived at Rs 57 crore as the “misappropriate’’ amount, and granted interim relief to the BJP Member of Parliament Kirit Somaiya, protecting him from any police custody and custodial interrogation.

The HC had granted him pre-arrest bail but directed him to appear before the police on four straight days from April 18, between 11 am and 2 pm for the investigation.

On April 7, an ex-serviceman lodged first information report (FIR) with the Trombay police accusing Somaiya of organizing a save INS Vikrant fund collection drive and failing to deposit Rs 57 crore that was allegedly collected.

Justice Prabudessai had observed that the April 7 FIR is also “so vague’’, based on media reports of an interview, and filed in 2022 for amounts allegedly misappropriated in 2013-14.

The Maharashtra BJP vice president, Somaiya, had rushed to the HC for pre-arrest bail after the Sessions court on Monday rejected his plea.

Observing that senior counsel Ashok Mundargi appearing with Hrishikesh Mundargi for Somaiya said he is “ready to cooperate” with the probe, the court had granted him pre-arrest bail.