Anubhav case: HC orders passports cancellation

CHENNAI, JAN. 20. The Madras High Court today directed the Crime Branch police to take steps to cancel the passports/visas of four of the accused in the ``Anubhav group case'' (stated to be abroad), in order to secure their presence and secure the properties diverted by them. As the hearing of the bail petition filed by the Anubhav group chairman, Mr. Natesan, continued, the prosecution sought a month's time to secure the presence of all the accused and also to make applications to cancel the orders granting anticipatory bail to some of them for further investigation and quantify the immovable properties involved in the crime. The Anubhav group companies and their directors have been charged with cheating depositors to the extent of over Rs. 2500000000. Mr. Justice P. D. Dinakaran granted time till February 1 to the city Crime Branch police to move the passport authorities as well as the embassy/ High Commissioner for cancellation of the passports and visa of the respective accused, who were said to be abroad; to secure their presence and also to secure the properties which were diverted through the said accused, whether in India or abroad. Posting the case to February 2, the Judge asked the police to quantify the properties hitherto secured in the case and to give details on the time they require to finalise the probe and submit the final report. Mr. K. Subramanian, senior counsel, who appeared for the Anubhav Investors Association, praying for a CBI probe into the entire case, noted that the investigating agency did not have the infrastructure or manpower to apprehend the accused abroad. He brought to the court's attention that the Securities Exchanges Board of India (SEBI) had moved the Supreme Court, seeking a direction for transferring all the petitions pertaining to over 700 plantation companies (including Anubhav Plantations) pending before various courts, either to the apex court or one High Court. The Supreme Court had transferred all the petitions to be heard by the Delhi High Court in order to evolve a common scheme of package on dealing with and disposing of the properties of all the plantation companies. The hearing was nearing an end, counsel noted. Meanwhile, in another court which dealt with a company petition from the Anubhav group, Mr. Justice R. Jayasimha Babu has appointed the official liquidator as provisional liquidator for the winding up proceedings in respect of nine companies. The nine companies are Anubhav Foundations, Anubhav Homes, Anubhav Resorts, Anubhav Green Farms and Resorts; Anubhav Royal Orchards Exports, Anubhav India Limited , Anubhav Micro Irrigation, Anubhav Hire Purchase and Anubhav Communications and Advertising. Senior counsel, Mr. M. Ravindran, would act as the Administrator for all the companies.