Hiranandani gets bail

A special court today granted anticipatory bail to Hiranandani Group director Niranjan Hiranandani, against whom Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had issued a ‘look out notice’ in connection with an alleged Rs 9 crore provident fund (PF) scam.

The CBI on Monday issued the notices to all airports in the country against Niranjan and his brother, Surendra, another director with the group, for their involvement in the alleged scam.

"There was no chargesheet filed against them. Both of them were travelling abroad. Niranjan landed today. He applied and got the (anticipatory) bail today. Surendra will apply for bail tomorrow,'' said Darshan Hiranandani, another director.

In a separate media statement, the group today said the PF department had ‘instigated’ CBI to manipulate the probe against it. "The department have instigated the CBI to open a new angle to the case," the group said. The CBI raided the offices of Hiranandani Group in March 2008, based on information given by the PF department of a Rs 168 crore PF fraud.

The group said the investigations had shown the alleged default figure of Rs 168 crore was "fabricated only for harassing the group and for ulterior means''.