The Supreme Court on Wednesday issued notice to the Reserve Bank of India and the Centre on a petition seeking investigation by appropriate agencies into alleged money laundering, tax evasion, fraud and forgery by the trustees of the Mumbai-based Lilavati Hospital.

The court has also asked the Enforcement Directorate, SEBI, Corporate Affairs Ministry and the Central Board of Direct Taxes to file their reply to the petition filed by the Delhi-based Mr Harsh Raghuvanshi.

Mr Raghuvanshi has asked for a probe into the alleged siphoning of funds by the Mehtas (who, the petitioner said, are the trustees of the Lilavati Hospital) from the hospital through bogus and inflated bills. It has been alleged that the money has been transferred through the hawala route and deposited in banks overseas including in the LGT Bank in Liechtenstein.

The petition also cites reports to state that the Mehtas are involved in the diamond business and have links with powerful politicians and with the underworld including the notorious Mr Dawood Ibrahim.

One of the Mehtas is also a co-owner of the Kochi team in the Indian Premier League, the petition alleged, adding that the Mehtas have investments in Dubai, Singapore, Belgium, Panama, Hong Kong, Mauritius and Amsterdam.

The petitioner has sought the court's directions to ensure that all the respondents (authorities) disclose the facts which have come to their knowledge and the measures taken by them against the trustees.

The court has tagged Mr Raghuvanshi's plea to a petition filed by eminent lawyer Mr Ram Jethmalani and others asking for directions to retrieve the black money stashed by Indians including businessman Mr Hasan Ali Khan in banks overseas.

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