HDFC CEO Sashidhar Jagdishan Appears in Supreme Court, Calls Lilavati Hospital Fir Fake
Among the biggest private banks in the country, HDFC Bank’s Managing Director and CEO Shashidhar Jagdishan is once again in the headlines. This time the case is related to an FIR filed against him by trustees of Mumbai’s famous Lilavati Hospital. Jagadishan has moved the Supreme Court seeking to dismiss this FIR. His lawyer and senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi argued in the Supreme Court that this FIR is completely “fake” and has been recorded to pressurize the bank.
Trustees of Lilavati Hospital lodged FIR
The trustees of Lilavati Hospital had registered an FIR in the Mumbai Police against Shashidharjgddhan. In this FIR, serious allegations are made against him, which are associated with a financial transaction. However, during the hearing in the court, the details of this FIR or the amount included in it were not disclosed. On behalf of Jagadishan, Senior Advocate Mukul Rohatgi claimed in the Supreme Court that this FIR is completely baseless and its purpose is to blackmail the bank only. Rohatgi said, “This FIR has been recorded because the bank has to recover some outstanding amount from the trustees of Lilavati Hospital. It is a conspiracy to create a pressure.”
No relief was found in Bombay High Court
Shashidharjgadishan first demanded the cancellation of this FIR in the Bombay High Court. But surprisingly, three different benches of Bombay High Court have refused to hear the case. Rohatgi told the Supreme Court that three benches in the High Court refused to listen to the matter, after which they had no way but to come to the Supreme Court. The Bombay High Court listed the case for July 14, but Jagadishan decided to take it to the Supreme Court for immediate hearing.
Supreme court will hear on Friday
The Supreme Court immediately took cognizance of Jagadishan’s petition. A bench of Justice MM Sundalesh and Vinod Chandran of Justice agreed to hear the matter. Justice Sundaresh said in the hearing on Thursday, “The case has been ordered to be listed for tomorrow (Friday).” Now everyone’s eyes are fixed on this hearing of the Supreme Court, where it will be decided whether Jagdishan will get relief from this FIR or not. Mukul Rohatgi, on behalf of Jagdishan in the Supreme Court, insisted that this FIR is not only baseless, but its purpose is to disrupt the bank’s recovery process.
What is the root of controversy?
The dispute between HDFC Bank and the trustees of Lilavati Hospital started with a financial transaction. According to reports, the bank is trying to recover some outstanding amount from the trustees of Lilavati Hospital. Under the pressure of this recovery, the trustees have registered this FIR against Jagdishan. Rohatgi claimed in the court that this is a trick to pressurize the FIR bank and stop the recovery process. He said that the trustees of Lilavati Hospital are trying to harass the bank with such activities, so that their outstanding amount will be averted.