Surendra Hiranandani gets interim anticipatory bail

Hiranandani Group director, Surendra Hiranandani, against whom a look-out notice was issued in connection with an alleged provident fund scam, was today granted interim anticipatory bail by a special court.

Surendra sought anticipatory bail three days after CBI told the court that he was still absconding.

Both the brothers, Niranjan and Surendra, have been named accused in an FIR lodged by CBI on March 29, 2008 for an alleged fraud of provident fund deposits to the tune of Rs 9 crore.

Niranjan had approached the court seeking anticipatory bail on August 4 after CBI issued look-out notices against him and Surendra at all the airports in the country.

"Surendra was not absconding. He had just gone out of the country on business. From 2008, CBI has not said anything about arresting him. But now suddenly they want his custody," his lawyer Shirish Gupte argued.

CBI counsel Bharat Badami sought time till August 25 to file his reply to the bail plea. Special CBI Judge S P Hayatnagarkar on August 25 will also pass his final order on the anticipatory bail plea of Niranjan.

According to the anti-corruption wing of CBI, Hiranandani group had not deposited provident fund of their employees in 2003-06.

The alleged non-payment, according to a report filed by the Employee Provident Fund Organisation in its departmental enquiry, is to the tune of Rs 9.36 crore.