Particle.news
Download on the App Store

Bombay High Court Quashes Bank of India’s ‘Fraud’ Tag on Naresh Goyal

The bench held that the bank violated procedural fairness by relying on forensic reports without proper disclosure.

Overview

  • The division bench of Justices R.I. Chagla and Farhan Parvez Dubash set aside the classification and all consequent actions, including reporting to central agencies.
  • Bank of India’s notices in December 2024 and July 2025 cited a May 7, 2020 Forensic Audit Report and a February 10, 2021 addendum as the basis for the tag.
  • Goyal’s petition argued that he was denied a fair hearing and that the May 2020 audit found no conclusive fraud, after which lenders initially chose not to act.
  • The ruling does not halt separate ED and CBI investigations tied to Canara Bank’s complaint, nor does it affect the Supreme Court-ordered liquidation of Jet Airways.
  • Authorities have alleged unpaid loans of ₹538.62 crore out of ₹848.86 crore sanctioned and cited audit claims of ₹1,410.41 crore paid to related entities.