The Delhi Police’s Economic Offences Wing has served a notice to Niira Radia and other promoters and directors of Nayati Healthcare and Research NCR to join investigation in connection with alleged embezzlement of over ₹300 crore of bank loan, officials said on Tuesday.
The notice was served on Monday, they said.
Radia and the others have been asked to appear before police next week, a senior police officer said.
Three persons identified as Yateesh Wahaal, Satish Kumar Narula and Rahul Singh Yadav were arrested on Thursday for misappropriation of crores of rupees, according to police.
They said a complaint was filed by orthopaedic surgeon Rajeev Kumar Sharma against Naarayani Investment, the holding company of Nayati Healthcare and Research NCR and its promotors and directors Radia, her sister Karuna Menon, Narula, Wahaal and others.
Case details
“We categorically deny any wrongdoing on our part. The complainant Dr Rajeev Kumar Sharma; after having been an integral part of the company is seeking to foist false cases in an attempt to extort money. We repose complete faith in the process of investigation and the judicial system. We believe that truth will triumph,” Radia, the chairperson of Nayati Healthcare, said in a statement.
A senior police officer said in a release that it has been stated that Sharma is the vice-chairman and executive director of Naarayani Investment. The company was incorporated with a view to build and run a hospital in Gurgaon and the complainant was having 49 per cent shares whereas remaining 51 per cent shares were held by other two directors of the company Chandan Mishra and Charchit Mishra.
The complainant was also promised a remuneration of ₹30 lakh per month as professional fees for his services. It is further stated that during the construction of Gurgaon Hospital, OSL Healthcare faced certain financial problem and majority shareholders/directors sold their shares (51 per cent) to Naarayani Investment at the consideration of ₹99 crore, police said.
Misappropriating funds
Once the alleged persons or company entered into the shoes of majority shareholder, they took all the major decisions. It is alleged that the company took a loan of ₹312 crore from YES Bank for development of Gurgaon Hospital, but the money was not used for the said purpose and misappropriated by the alleged persons, the officer said.
It is further alleged that they had not paid the complainant his professional fees worth ₹15.28 crore and brought down his shareholding deceitfully from 49 per cent to 6.3 per cent, police said.
During investigation, it was found that Naarayani Investment having 93 per cent of shareholding and Radia is the main promotor of the company. After receiving a loan amount of ₹312 crore from YES Bank by the alleged company, a sum of Rs 208 crore was transferred to a bank account in the name of Ahluwalia Construction.
On verification of the account, it was found that the account was opened by one Rahul Singh Yadav only with a view to divert or siphon off the loan amount as it was a dummy account, police said.
They also said the transfer of ₹208 crore was authorised by Wahaal and Narula, being director and authorised signatory of the loan account of the alleged company.
Police conducted raids at various places in Delhi and NCR and apprehended all three accused persons. After interrogation, all were arrested, Additional Commissioner of Police (EOW) R K Singh said.
Other directors and promoters are being examined to ascertain their role and involvement in the whole incident. It is further found that money transferred to the account of Ahluwalia Construction was further transferred to several other beneficiaries, which are being verified during investigation, Singh said.
On stories in a section of the media claiming that Radia has fled to London, she in the statement said, “Some completely unfounded comments and allegations have been made that I have left India for London. Nothing could be further from the truth. I am very much in Delhi and am currently managing the day to day operations of the hospital group. I have always cooperated fully with investigating agencies and I shall continue to do so.” “I have every faith in investigating agencies and the judicial process. These articles are scurrilous attempts to damage my reputation made at the behest of a former shareholder and director,” Radia said.
