The Supreme Court has levied significant penalties on the Sahara Group’s ten companies and their top directors due to their failure to adhere to a court order. Each company has been fined Rs 10 lakh, while the top 20 directors face fines of Rs 5 lakh each. This total penalty of Rs 2 crore is directed towards the Kerala Chief Minister’s Relief Fund to aid in the restoration efforts following the devastating landslides in Wayanad.
Background of the Case
In October 2023, the Supreme Court had ordered Sahara Group to provide flats to certain homebuyers. Despite multiple opportunities to comply with this directive, the companies failed to meet the court’s requirements. The Supreme Court’s recent decision underscores the seriousness of the non-compliance, resulting in the imposed costs.
Legal Representation
Senior Advocate Siddhartha Dave and other prominent advocates including Simranjeet Singh, Gautam Talukdar, Neha Gupta, Karan Jain, Rishabh Pant, and Yajat Gulia represented the Sahara Group. For the homebuyers, advocates Siddharth Batra, Archna Yadav, Chinmay Dubey, Shivani Chawla, Rhythm Katyal, and Pratyush Arora were involved in the proceedings.
Impact of the Wayanad Landslides
The landslides that struck Wayanad on July 30 caused widespread devastation, claiming the lives of 437 individuals. Currently, 1,505 survivors are housed in 12 relief camps across the district. Among them, there are 566 women, including two who are pregnant, 571 men, and 368 children.
Progress on Identification Efforts
Efforts to identify the victims of the landslides have been ongoing. DNA testing has been completed on 401 recovered bodies and body parts. According to Revenue Minister K. Rajan, 52 body parts require additional testing due to decomposition. The results have revealed that 194 body parts belong to different individuals, while the remaining parts are associated with 54 individuals.
The Supreme Court’s actions and the ongoing relief efforts highlight the severity of the crisis and the need for accountability and support in the wake of such disasters.
