Gupta: DLF knew about HMDA deal

HYDERABAD: Realtor Gowri Shankar Gupta has claimed that real estate firm DLF knew about the lease agreement he had entered into with Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA).

During his six days in police custody, Gupta reportedly told Central Crime Station (CCS) sleuths that he had bought 50% stake in Gazette, a DLF Ltd sister firm, and, subsequently floated another subsidiary, of Gazette, called DLF SBPL along with the Delhi-based company. The city-based realtor is accused of forging DLF letterheads to execute the lease agreement with HMDA.

But sleuths have found out that Gupta's representatives did not register themselves with the Registrar of Companies (RoC) as directors of DLF-SBPL.

"Neither Gupta nor did his employees register themselves as directors with RoC, which is mandatory for entering into any agreement on behalf of a company," CCS officials told TOI.

DLF officials have claimed they had no knowledge of any lease agreement between Gupta and HMDA for transfer of a 25 acre plot of land in Moosapet to DLF SBPL.

But, now, the realtor and the co-accused in the case have provided emails they claim they had sent to DLF intimating the firm about the deal.

"Neither did DLF officials reply to his mails nor did they authorise anybody to enter into any agreement on behalf of DLF SBPL. But DLF was not completely ignorant of the developments.

"The technical mistake here is that Gupta and his associates did not register themselves with RoC. They were under the impression that since they had procured 50% shares in Gazette, they could expect no trouble," said an official.

It has also come to light that HMDA made no effort to find out who the directors of DLF SBPL were and if they had registered themselves with RoC before finalising the agreement. Initially, CCS had only named Manoj Sharma and Jaffer Khan, Gupta's employees, as accused in the case. However, subsequently, Gupta and an advocate, S Durga Prasad, too were included in the list of the accused.

Recently, CCS officials also questioned Prasad, the signatory on behalf of DLF SBPL for the lease deal. "Durga Prasad said that he had given his signature at the behest of Gupta and his associates in his capacity as an employee.

"He also said that he was a signatory on behalf of the company in several other agreements. Since it was he who had signed the deal with HMDA, he became party to the offence ," sources added.

During his police custody, CCS also questioned Gupta about the other cheating charges brought against him by DLF for allegedly duping the company to the tune of Rs 280 crore by failing to execute projects he was bound by agreement to deliver.

Meanwhile, Gupta has once more moved a petition in the Nampally court seeking bail.

Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com