Swarna Shukla-
Published On: October 06, 2021 at 12:59 IST
The Supreme Court extended Interim Stay on criminal proceedings against Former Wipro Chairman Azim Premji, his wife and others on their Plea.
The Plea was seeking quashing of summons issued by a Bengaluru Court on a frivolous and mischievous complaint filed by an NGO alleging the breach of trust and corruption in merger of three companies with a Premji group firm.
A Bench of Justice S K Kaul and M M Sundresh was hearing an Appeal filed by Premji challenging the Karnataka High Court Order of May 15 which had rejected their Pleas for quashing of the January 27 summons issued by the Trail Court.
The Apex Court was informed that the Contemnors have not filed any reply to the Contempt notice but have filed an application seeking recall of the Order issuing notice.
The Summons was issued by the Trail Court on the basis of a complaint filed by India Awake for Transparency alleging illegality in the transfer of assets worth Rs 45,000 Crore from the three companies into private trust and a newly formed company.
In their Appeals, Premji and others have said that the Complainant NGO suppressed material facts and documents including that the scheme of amalgamation has already been sanctioned by the Karnataka High Court by Order dated March 26, 2015.
The Court noted that the NGO had filed multiple Writ Petition in the High Court seeking criminal actions over allegations of financial irregularities in companies run by Azim Premji.
Despite the dismissal of those Petition, the Petitioners filed a fresh Writ Petition with similar allegations in substance.
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