FIR filed against BJP leader over money collected for INS Vikrant

Sanjay Raut says Kirit Somaiya will be jailed for siphoning ₹57 crore

The Mumbai police on Thursday registered an FIR filed against Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Kirit Somaiya and his son Neil for allegedly siphoning ₹57 crore collected through public donations to convert INS Vikrant into a museum.

The case was based on a complaint lodged on Wednesday evening by Baban Bhosale, a 53-year-old former Armyman at the Trombay police station. According to the FIR, the complainant has said that Mr. Somaiya started a campaign to raise funds for the decommissioned aircraft carrier INS Vikrant to save it from being scrapped .

Mr. Bhosale said that he had sent his donation to Mr. Somaiya, and added that the BJP leader had collected more than ₹57 crore. However, instead of depositing the money at the office of the Maharashtra Governor’s secretary, Mr. Somaiya misappropriated the funds.

Mr. Bhosale said in his complaint, “The warship had played a key role in the 1971 war. So when efforts to save it began, I thought of donating some money. I gave ₹2,000 in 2013.”

He and some local Shiv Sena leaders met the police authorities on Wednesday to lodge a complaint based on which a case under Indian Penal Code (IPC) Sections 406 (criminal breach of trust), 420 (cheating) and 34 (common intention) was registered against Mr. Somaiya, his son Neil and others.

Addressing a press conference on Thursday, the BJP leader rejected the allegations. “No wrong has been done with the money. I have given proof against Sanjay Raut [Shiv Sena leader]. He has no proof against me,” he said. When he was repeatedly asked questions regarding the money, Mr. Somaiya chose not to answer and left the press conference.

Meanwhile, Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut returned to Mumbai from Delhi to a rousing welcome by party workers at the airport. Reacting to the action against Mr. Somaiya, he said, “We exposed him and his corruption. We have given proof that the money intended to be sent to Raj Bhavan, never reached there. A complaint has been filed against him and he will go to jail soon. He is a traitor who collected money in the name of INS Vikrant and siphoned off all the funds.”