Two ‘proxies’ of Gidwani relinquished flats before FIR was filed,says Society

Citing Gidwani’s case,the CBI’s affidavit said three flats held by Gidwani and his sons were in the name of Gajanan Koli,Amol Kharbhari and Kiran Bhadange,who were shown to have received loans from the Gidwanis and Apeksha Impex Private Limited,a firm belonging to Gidwani. Of these,“Kharbhari even does not have a PAN number and has not even filed any I-T returns,” the CBI had said.

In the society’s affidavit submitted to the court by its counsel Satish Maneshinde,its authorised representative Lt Commander (retd) G S Grewal has said,“The petitioner society is not aware of the financial transactions between Gidwani and Bhadange and Kharbhari. In fact,Bhadange and Kharbhari have relinquished their membership on September 29,2010,and September 27,2010,on the grounds that they are unable to pay the dues towards their respective flats in the petitioner society. The said relinquishment of membership by Bhadange and Kharbhari was even prior to the registration of the FIR against the accused.”

Grewal said this has no bearing on the freezing of the accounts of the society,which is an entity separate from the 13 accused named in the FIR by the CBI. The affidavit mentions that the Deputy Registrar of Co-operative Societies also denied permission to the society to open a new bank account on March 22,saying he will need the CBI’s approval.

Listing the expenses that the society needs to meet,another affidavit filed by Grewal stated it needs to pay Rs 60 lakh towards property tax for 2010-11,Rs 4.42 lakh towards income tax and Rs 2 lakh for daily operational expenses. Moreover,Maneshinde told the court that the society needs to pay costs towards its defence in litigation,which is its fundamental right. Justice Ranjana Desai and Justice R G Ketkar adjourned the case against the freezing of accounts till April 23.