CBI issues ‘look-out’ notices for builder Hirandani, brother

MUMBAI - The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Tuesday issued a look-out notice for the city’s leading realty developers Niranjan Hiranandani and his brother Surendra in connection with a Rs.168-crore Employees Provident Fund (EPF) scam, an official said.

The look-out notices have been issued to all immigration points in the country in the event of the Hiranandani brothers attempting to flee the country, the official said.

The case against the Hiranandani duo and nine others, including the former Regional Provident Fund Commissioner-I (Mumbai) K.S. Arya, was registered in March 2008.

In its first information report (FIR), the CBI contended that Arya, the Hiranandani brothers and eight others cheated the EPF department to the tune of Rs.168 crore by not paying the provident fund dues of site workers employed through contractors in various projects of the Hiranandani Group.

The CBI further contended that in connivance with EPF officials, the Hiranandanis deposited a meagre amount of only Rs.292,000 as provident fund dues and closed the matter illegally.

The case is under investigation since the past two years and the CBI has already summoned all the accused and witnesses named in the FIR.

The official said that though the CBI has been issuing summons asking both Niranjan and Surendra Hiranandani to remain present, they have not turned up before the investigating officers.

When their families were contacted, they did not inform the CBI on the whereabouts of the two brothers, compelling the agency to issue look-out notices against them.

The brothers are directors of Hiranadani Properties Pvt Ltd, which has constructed several major office, residential and other mega-projects in Mumbai and Thane.