Delhi: Saket Court issues summons to Bina Modi, Lalit Bhasin in assault case filed by Samir Modi

The Saket Court has issued summons to Bina Modi and Lalit Bhasin in a case filed by her son Samir Modi. The Delhi Police filed a charge sheet and said that there is no sufficient material to proceed against them. The court took Cognisance of the charge sheet and issued a summons. The Delhi Police had named Surendra Prasad, Personal Security Officer (PSO) of Bina Modi, as an accused.

This case pertains to an FIR lodged by the businessman Samir Modi at Sarita Vihar police station in 2024. Samir Modi alleged that he was stopped from entering a board meeting and assaulted by Surendra Prasad, further alleging that his finger was broken during the assault.

Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) Aneeza Bishnoi on Tuesday took cognisance of the charge sheet and summoned Surender Prasad, Bina Modi and Senior advocate Lalit Bhasin for the next date of hearing on May 7, 2026. "The court is of the view that after perusal of the chargesheet, statements recorded during investigation and material placed on record, although accused Bina Modi and accused Lalit Bhasin have been in column no. 12 of the charge-sheet, there exists sufficient material indicating their prima facie involvement in the alleged offence," JMFC Aneeza Bishnoi said on Tuesday.

The court said that at the stage of taking cognisance, a meticulous evaluation of evidence is neither warranted nor permissible, and the material on record, though circumstantial, forms a prima facie chain pointing towards a meeting of minds between the accused persons, which is sufficient at this stage to proceed with the trial. The Delhi police had filed a chargesheet on March 1, 2025, against accused Surendra Prasad, Bina Modi and Lalit Bhasin. In this, the accused Surendra Prasad was kept in column no. 11 under section 325/341 Cr.P.C., and Bina Modi and Lalit Bhasin were kept in column no. 12.

Thereafter, Samir Modi filed a protest petition on April 29, 2025. He prayed that cognisance be taken against accused Bina Modi and Lalit Bhasi as well to face the trial. The investigation officer (IO) had filed a reply to the protest petition. However, on submissions of IO himself, a second reply was also called, and both the replies were filed on the same lines, stating that no evidence has been unearthed during the investigation so as to show the involvement of Bina Modi and Lalit Bhasin.

After hearing the counsels, the court allowed the protest application. "The Investigating Officer cannot be a deciding authority in a case that he is investigating, that too on the basis of the statement of one of the accused that the other accused persons have not committed any offence," the court observed in the order.

JMFC Bishnoi said, "On the basis of chargesheet and supporting documents, I hereby take cognisance of the offence as mentioned in charge-sheet." Advocates Siddharth Yadav, Saurabh Ahuja, Rahul Sambhar and Kashish Ahuja appeared for Samir Modi. Senior advocate Manu Sharma appeared for the accused.

The complaint filed by the complainant, Samir Modi, had stated that on May 30, 2024, the complainant was physically assaulted at the office of GPI, Jasola, where he also has his offices, and he had gone for a board meeting as he is an Executive Director of GPI. It was also stated that he was invited to attend the meeting, and the agenda had been shared with him that some important decisions were to be taken. Court matters are also pending regarding the ownership of the shares of GPI.

It was further stated that while he was walking towards the boardroom, accused Surendra Prasad, PSO of Bina Modi, stood in his way and tried to stop him from entering. It is alleged that the accused, Surendra, informed him that he had instructions from Bina Modi not to let him enter the boardroom where the meeting was being convened. On instructions, as he was told by the accused, the PSO pushed him, to which he objected, and he did not let him enter and would move in the direction in front of him where he would move. Thereafter, the complainant heard some instructions from inside saying that he should be restrained.

The complaint stated that Samir Modi continued to insist on attending the board meeting and, thereafter, on instructions, he was brutally assaulted by the PSO. PSO attacked him and hit him, twisted his arm to such an extent that his right hand index finger broke. Despite him shouting in pain, PSO did not relent, and the complainant feared for his life and started crying for help. There were two PSOs standing as a backup to attack him. PSO hit him several times, and he threatened the complainant, saying that he had instructions from a very powerful and resourceful person and also told him that he would finish his job outside the premises. When he shouted for help, and after much of a commotion, the door of the board meeting opened, and he was let in, Samir Modi alleged. (ANI)