HC notice on plea from Godrej properties against CBI FIR

The Punjab and Haryana high court (HC) on Wednesday issued a notice of motion on a plea from Godrej Properties Limited seeking the quashing of a criminal case registered by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). The HC bench of justice Manjari Nehru Kaul has sought a response from the central agency by May 20.

The firm, a successor of M/s Godrej Estate Developers Pvt. Ltd and Godrej Sea View Properties Limited has a 5-acre complex in the city called Eternia, a commercial building in Industrial Area Phase-1. The property is also linked to former BJP mayor Anup Gupta.

The firm is accused of cheating and criminal conspiracy in connection with environmental and wildlife clearances for the complex. On July 17, 2024, the estate office had revoked the occupation certificate of Godrej Eternia. Similar proceedings are being faced by Berkeley Square, another commercial entity.

In the plea before HC, the firm has argued that the FIR is gross abuse of process of the law. The FIR fails to identify any public servants of a single instance of corruption so as to invoke Prevention of Corruption Act. It further argued that even as the issue about the environmental clearance is still pending before the ministry of environment and forests, the FIR was registered by the CBI.