Brahmapuram biomining case accused Zonta Infratech's MD seeks anticipatory bail in fraud case

Bengaluru: Zonta Infratech Private Limited company's Managing Director Raj Kumar Chellappan Pilla has applied for anticipatory bail in the fraud case filed by German businessman Patrick Bauer. He approached the Bengaluru Additional City Civil and Sessions court. The court will consider the case and pronounce the judgement on Thursday.

Patrick Bauer had lodged a complaint at Bengaluru's Cubbon Park police station. The case has been filed for criminal breach of trust.

Patrick's lawyer told Asianet News that all documents related to the case have been submitted to the police station. Rs 82 lakh as profit share for issuance of SBLC (Standby Letter of Credit) of Rs 20 crores was breached by Zonta Infratech. SBLC has not yet been released. 

Patrick's lawyer said that his client has suffered a huge loss due to this and Rajkumar should compensate for this. Patrick's lawyer, Advocate Prateek also said that Zonta company's executive director Sreeju Nair threatened they will not pay any more money as the case was filed.

Patrick, who runs a business of developing and manufacturing attachments for forklift trucks and recycling and waste containers, is also a shareholder and director of Zonta Infratech Private Limited. For the uninitiated, the Bengaluru-based firm, which is run by Rajkumar Chellappan Pilla -- son-in-law of former LDF Convener Vaikkom Vishwan, has been blamed for the fire at the Brahmapuram waste dump yard in Kochi. The company was awarded Rs 54 crore waste-to-energy contract despite allegedly 'flouting experience requirements'. When the heat turned up following the deadly fire, Zonta awarded a subcontract to a company run by the son of a senior Congress leader.

In his FIR dated March 8, 2023, the German businessman accused Rajkumar of misappropriating funds and breach of trust. The FIR books Rajkumar under Section 409 (Criminal breach of trust) of the IPC.

Patrick invested 1.5 million Euros as equity and 2.5 million Euros by way of External Commercial Borrowing in Zonta. Zonta had allegedly approached him in 2018 seeking additional finance of 2.28 million Euros for their upcoming project in Bengaluru. The 2.28 million Euros Stand By Letter of Credit (SBLC) was in addition to an earlier investment. Rajkumar acquired trust and induced Patrick's company, Bauer GMBH, into extending the SBLC.