We'll auction Aamby Valley if Sahara doesn't deposit Rs 5,000 cr, SC warns

Alters Feb order, says deposit investors' money in Sebi-Sahara account, not in apex court's registry

The Supreme Court on Tuesday modified its February order in the matter involving Sahara chief Subrata Roy with the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) over a dispute of returning money to crores of investors, saying the investors' money should be deposited in Sebi-Sahara account instead of the apex court's registry.

The apex court also warned Sahara, saying it will auction Aamby Valley project if the latter fails to deposit the amount of Rs 5,000 crore.

The apex court had in its last hearing asked the Ghaziabad development authority to deposit Rs 1,100 crore to the apex court registry for acquiring land from Sahara.

One international real estate company, M.G. Capital holdings, had told the apex court three-judge bench, headed by Justice Dipak Misra to purchase the London-based New York Plaza hotel, as the company wanted to purchase Sahara stake in that hotel.

Subrata Roy was sent to Tihar jail on March 4, 2014 for not complying with the apex court's orders in connection with a long dispute with the market regulator Sebi.

Sebi alleged that Roy allegedly failed to comply with the apex court's order directing him to return the investors' money.

Sahara, once among India's high-profile firms, has in the past made several failed attempts to raise the bail money using its prized overseas hotels that include the Plaza in New York and Grosvenor House in London.

Sahara says it has paid more than 80 per cent of the dues to share-holders, but Sebi has disputed that and said the company has not paid more than Rs 10,000 crore.