SC denies interim bail to Unitech promoter

The Supreme Court today refused to grant interim bail to Sanjay Chandra, a promoter of real estate firm Unitech Ltd, till next Friday in a case of alleged forgery lodged by home buyers of its Gurugram-based housing project. A bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud said it will look into the aspect of granting interim bail to the Unitech promoter after getting details of the number of projects, flats and home buyers and posted the matter on September 15. The bench also appointed advocate Pawan C Aggrawal as amicus and asked him to submit these details, including of those wanting refunds and those seeking flats. The apex court clarified that the home buyers who were seeking refunds will be given money on pro-rata basis and those wanting flats will be given the same. The counsel appearing for Sanjay Chandra said he had complied with all the conditions and deposited Rs 20 crore till now. He sought interim bail urging the court that he could refund the money only if he was allowed to work from his office and raise the funds. The bench said it would consider all these issues on the next date of hearing. Sanjay Chandra and his brother Ajay Chandra had moved the apex court against the August 11 order of the Delhi High Court refusing to grant interim bail to them and asked them to file a status report. Five buyers of the Unitech's Anthea Floors Wildflower Country project led by some Delhi residents had filed a complaint for registration of FIR against the company in 2015. Later, 90 more complaints were received against the firm for the same project which were clubbed with the FIR.