A court in Delhi has dismissed the Delhi Police’s report seeking closure of a cheating case against Qatar‑based Hassad Foods, which acquired Indian firm Bush Foods Overseas Pvt Ltd (BFOPL) in 2013. The case centers on allegations that stock worth nearly ₹1,000 crore was misappropriated upon acquisition.
Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Chander Jit Singh ruled that the investigation is incomplete. The magistrate noted that the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) report from Rohini, relating to critical documents, remains pending. In the absence of that expert analysis and statements from involved personnel, the court said Police should have waited to present comprehensive information before closing the matter.
A key concern was that the Indian company provided only five warehouse locations to banks during verification, whereas ten locations were shared with the team conducting physical stock checks. The court emphasized that all storage sites must be examined to ensure an accurate investigation.
The protest petition, filed by lawyers Kinnori Ghosh and Tushar Roy on behalf of Virkaran Awasty (former managing director of BFOPL), argued that the police report was biased. They claimed that the police had largely adopted the content of a cross‑FIR filed by Hassad Foods without independently verifying the allegations. While a charge sheet exists in that cross‑FIR, the original complaint filed by Awasty ended in a closure report—prompting the court to grant the protest and order further inquiry. Awasty remains absconding in London as Indian courts pursue his extradition.
The court’s decision reinforces the need for thorough, impartial investigations—especially in high‑value cross‑border corporate disputes.
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