SC to Constitute New Bench to Hear Homebuyers’ Pleas Against Amrapali Group

GG News Bureau

New Delhi, 14th Nov. The Supreme Court stated on Monday that it will form a new bench to hear the case of home buyers seeking delivery of homes reserved with the Amrapali group.

A counsel for home buyers urged a bench consisting of Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justice J B Pardiwala to form a new bench because the Amrapali group’s cases were being heard by a bench headed by then-CJI U U Lalit, who retired on November 8.

“I will constitute a bench,” the CJI said.

M L Lahoty, representing home buyers, mentioned the plea.

He stated that a new bench was required to hear the grievances of home buyers.

A bench consisting of then-CJI Lalit, who has since retired, and Justice Bela M Trivedi was hearing the Amrapali group’s petitions.

In its July 23, 2019 verdict, the Supreme Court slammed errant builders for betraying home buyers’ trust, ordering the cancellation of the Amrapali group’s registration under real estate law RERA and evicting it from prime properties in the national capital region (NCR) by voiding land leases.

With the verdict, the Supreme Court directed the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to investigate alleged money laundering by realtors, providing relief to over 42,000 Amrapali Group home buyers.

In addition to the Enforcement Directorate, the Delhi Police’s Economic Offence Wing (EoW) and the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) have been investigating various cases filed against former officials of the real estate group.