The Delhi High Court (HC) has ordered Gurpreet Dhillon, the Head of Radha Soami Satsang Beas (RSSB), and his family to be personally present on November 14, to explain how they owe money to former Fortis promoters -- Malvinder Singh and Shivinder Singh.

The RSSB is a Punjab-based commune.

A list of 72 garnishees, those who purportedly owe at least Rs 6,000 crore to Malvinder and Shivinder Singh has been compiled afresh by the HC in an order dated October 11. The RSSB guru Gurpreet Dhillon and his family owe over Rs 215 crore to the Singh brothers, it has been claimed by the latter.

The order passed by Justice JR Midha stated that Gurpreet Dhillon was extended a loan of Rs 88.8 crore, his sons Gurpreet (Rs 79.7 crore) and Gurinder (Rs 1.35 crore), his daughter Nayan Tara (Rs 52.95 lakh) and his wife Shabnam (Rs 45.40 crore). The HC has also asked the brothers to be personally present in the court on November 14.

The court has also directed Rajshree Singh, the mother-in-law of Shivinder Singh to be personally present in the court to explain if and when they can return the monies back to the judgment debtors (Singh brothers).

Rajshree Singh has been loaned Rs 1.32 crore and Bhai Manjit Singh, also related to the Singh brothers was lent Rs 21.92 lakhs.

‘Investments, loans advanced by judgment debtors to 72 garnishees’

Apart from this, the brothers’ close business associate who was also heading subsidiary companies that held the former’s investments – Sunil Godhwani and his relative Sanjay Godhwani -- owed at least Rs 68 crore to the brothers, it has been stated in the order. Godhwani is currently being questioned by the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) and is under arrest along with the brothers.

The HC is hearing the arbitral award execution case which Japanese drug-maker Daiichi Sankyo has filed against the brothers to realise over Rs 3500 crore.

The brothers counsel argued in the HC that various investments and loans advanced by judgment debtors to these 72 garnishees, were done prior to the passing of the arbitral award on April 29, 2016.

The brothers claimed that they have initiated the recovery process and have issued demand notices and reminders to recover the amounts due to them in order to raise funds and satisfy the award. They also argued that they are unable to recover these amounts due to integral conflicts.

However, Daiichi has been arguing that while the award was passed in 2016, the arbitration had been initiated in 2012, and any attempt by the brothers to divert funds from 2012 on wards should be deemed fraudulent.

Meanwhile, Daiichi has secured a no alienation order from the HC, which means that none including the aforementioned garnishees out of the 72 can dispose off their assets.

The HC has directed all the garnishees to file an affidavit to place on record all their dealings and transactions with the brothers and their related companies in two weeks. HC has also instructed the brothers’ to furnish the bank account details through which the money was transferred to the garnishees.

comment COMMENT NOW