'Tampering of evidence': Plea before NCLT seeks removal of Delhi Gymkhana Club Administrator

The National Company Law Tribunal has issued notice on an intervention application, seeking a direction to remove the current Administrator of the Delhi Gymkhana Club and the Secretary for tampering of evidence and fudging of accounts of AGM held in December last year.

The National Company Law Tribunal has issued notice on an intervention application, seeking a direction to remove the current Administrator of the Delhi Gymkhana Club and the Secretary for tampering of evidence and fudging of accounts of AGM held in December last year.

A bench of President, Justice Ramalingam Sudhakar (retd) and Member (technical) Narendra Kumar Bhola issued notice on an intervention application filed by Col Ashish Khanna (retd), a Delhi Gymkhana Club member.

"Pass an order directing the removal of the present administrator (Om Pathak) and the Secretary J. P. Singh on account of tampering of evidence and fudging of accounts for AGM dated December 23, 2021," said the plea.

It also urged the tribunal to pass an order directing petitioner to nominate an administrator with a judicial background. "Pass an order directing protection of this respondent and appoint him as the interim Secretary only till pendency of the proceedings for filing the status report asked by this tribunal," said the plea.

The petitioner also urged the tribunal to direct the Serious Fraud Investigation Office to register an FIR and conduct detailed investigation and forensic audit into the allegations about the AGM accounts.

The tribunal has scheduled the matter for further hearing on February 23.

The National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT), on February 15, 2021, dissolved the club's General Committee and directed the Centre to appoint an administrator to manage its affairs, after the Ministry of Corporate Affairs moved the tribunal alleging corruption, mismanagement, and nepotism in the club.

On September 30 2021, in a major relief for the former GC of the Delhi Gymkhana Club, the Supreme Court, while hearing the appeals filed against the NCLAT, remanded the matter back to the NCLT and asked it to settle it within four months.