PUNE: There is finally some hope for DSK group depositors. A special court here on Saturday allowed D S Kulkarni’s application for directions to the economic offences wing of the city police to collect two demand drafts, amounting to Rs 6.5 crore, on his behalf from a Thane-based housing cooperative and distribute the money among the ailing and needy depositors.The demand drafts are towards Kulkarni’s move to surrender his rights in a redevelopment project of the SBI housing cooperative at Naupada in Thane. The housing cooperative’s lawyer, Amit Agashe, told the court that the drafts would be handed over after Kulkarni complies with certain conditions.
Special judge J T Utpat ordered the EOW (economic offences wing) to deposit the demand drafts with the district and sessions court’s registry once it gets them after compliance of conditions by Kulkarni. An order over the mode of distribution of the money among the depositors is expected to be passed during the next hearing on March 23. The EOW of Mumbai police, too, has filed a plea in a Mumbai court staking its claim over the money for the depositors there.
The court also allowed Kulkarni’s other application for directions to the Yerawada jail superintendent to allow him to have home-cooked food considering his health condition and dietary requirement. However, the relief is only for Kulkarni and not for his wife, Hemanti, who is also in the jail in relation to the same case.
The hearing on other two applications seeking regular bail for him and his wife and an interim bail to enable him to dispose of some of his unencumbered properties, including the DSK School of Design, will be taken up during the next hearing.
Special public prosecutor Pradip Chavan appeared on behalf of the state. Lawyers Shrikant Shivade, Chinmay Inamdar and Aprameya Shivade appeared on behalf of Kulkarni.