A Delhi court has directed a fresh investigation into a cheating case involving former cricketer and current Indian cricket team head coach Gautam Gambhir.
The court has set aside a previous magisterial court order discharging Gambhir and others from the case, citing a lack of clarity in addressing the allegations against the accused, PTI reports.
The decision by Special Judge Vishal Gogne calls for further examination of Gambhir’s involvement. Gambhir, who served as a brand ambassador and additional director of the accused firms, allegedly promoted a housing project in Indirapuram, Ghaziabad.
The case revolves around the firms Rudra Buildwell Realty Pvt. Ltd, H R Infracity Pvt Ltd., and U M Architectures and Contractors Ltd., which had marketed the project under the name “Serra Bella” in 2011 before renaming it “Pavo Real” in 2013.
Judge Gogne highlighted that Gambhir was the only accused with direct interaction with investors and noted significant financial transactions involving Gambhir and Rudra Buildwell Realty Pvt. Ltd.
“The chargesheet did not clarify whether the amounts paid back to him by Rudra had any nexus or were sourced from the funds received from the investors in the project in question. Since the core of the allegations pertains to the offence of cheating, it was required to be clarified by the chargesheet and also by the impugned order whether any component of the cheated amount(s) came to the hand of Gambhir,” PTI quotes the judge as having said.
The court observed that the magisterial court had generalised findings against Gambhir and other accused, thereby failing to individually assess the evidence presented. The allegations, therefore, merit a fresh evaluation of Gambhir’s role, especially given his resignation as additional director in October 2013 after the bulk of his payments were made.
The complaint, filed by flat buyers, alleges that they were lured by advertisements and paid amounts between Rs 6 lakh and Rs 16 lakh for the flats. Despite these payments, the project reportedly saw no significant development by 2016, when the complaint was filed. The complainants alleged that the project was neither approved by state authorities nor built according to the promised site plans. The property, it was later learned, was entangled in legal disputes, with the Allahabad High Court having issued a stay order on the land in 2003.
The case has been remanded to the magisterial court with instructions to issue a fresh, detailed order on the charges against each accused based on the evidence submitted.
