Burman Family says FIR ‘arm-twisting’ bid to block Religare acquisition

The Burman Family, promoters of Dabur Group, on Tuesday dismissed an FIR pertaining to the alleged betting app probe and added they have received no formal communication on the same. The official statement added that the FIR was provoked by vested interests in a bid to block the acquisition of Religare Enterprises Ltd (REL) by the Burman Family. 

According to ANI, Mumbai Police has registered a FIR against 32 accused including Mohit Burman and Gaurav Burman in connection with the ongoing Mahadev betting app probe.

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A spokesperson for the Burman Family said, “We have not received any formal communication on any such FIR. However, we have sighted the FIR, which is being circulated to media houses. The FIR is patently false and baseless. Nothing could be further from the truth than as wrongly stated in the FIR.”

“From a copy of the FIR that is being circulated in the media, we note that allegations are being made that Mohit Burman and Gaurav Burman are directly related to some of the accused. Mohit Burman and Gaurav Burman do not even know or have ever met the accused mentioned in the FIR being circulated selectively in the media,” the statement added.

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Vested interests

The Burman Family added that the FIR is provoked by vested interests and termed it as an attempt to block its acquistion of REL. “Curiously, the FIR comes at a time when the Burman Family has sought to increase its existing shareholding of 21.24 per cent in Religare Enterprises and launched a legitimate open offer under the SEBI Takeover Code. As part of this, the Burman Family brought to the notice of the Board and the regulators certain governance issues being perpetrated by Dr Rashmi Saluja, the current Chairman,” the official statement added.

Expressing shock, the Burman Family said these “arm-twisting moves” are “grossly illegal.”

“Nevertheless, we remain resolute that we will proceed with our acquisition of Religare Enterprises as contemplated,” the official statement added.