The Delhi High Court on Wednesday put a pause on trial court proceedings against industrialist Bina Modi and senior advocate Lalit Bhasin in a case involving alleged assault on Godfrey Philips India executive director Samir Modi during a 2024 board meeting.
Justice Saurabh Banerjee issued notices on petitions filed by Bina Modi and Bhasin challenging the summons issued against them. The court also directed the Delhi Police to submit a status report within four weeks. “In the meanwhile, there shall be a stay of pending proceedings (in the trial court),” the court said, listing the matter for further hearing on July 29.
The case stems from an incident dated May 30, 2024, when Samir Modi visited the Godfrey Philips India office to attend a board meeting in his capacity as executive director. According to the prosecution, he alleged that Bina Modi’s personal security officer, Surendra Prasad, prevented him from entering the boardroom and assaulted him when he insisted on attending.
The complaint states that Samir Modi suffered a fracture to his right index finger, which required surgical intervention involving insertion of a screw and wire. His medico-legal report classified the injury as grievous. CCTV footage of the incident was also collected during the investigation.
Further allegations were made that after informing his mother, Bina Modi, about the assault, she asked him to sit down and allow the meeting to continue. He also claimed that Lalit Bhasin supported the continuation of the meeting despite his injuries.
The trial court had taken cognisance of the matter on February 10 and issued summons to Bina Modi, Bhasin, and Surendra Prasad, directing them to appear on May 7.
While a police chargesheet filed on March 1, 2025, named Prasad as an accused with sufficient prima facie material, it found insufficient evidence to prosecute Bina Modi and Bhasin. However, acting on a protest petition filed by Samir Modi, the judicial magistrate concluded that a case could still proceed against them.
The magistrate observed that conspiracy or common intention could be inferred from the circumstances. It noted that at the stage of cognisance, a detailed evaluation of evidence is not required, and the material on record formed a prima facie chain suggesting a “meeting of minds” among the accused.
Challenging this finding, senior counsel appearing for Bina Modi and Bhasin argued before the High Court that the trial court’s decision was “complete perversity” and based on an incorrect assumption that the police could not exonerate individuals during investigation. It was further submitted that CCTV footage did not support the allegation of assault and that Samir Modi had remained present in the meeting for nearly two hours before raising the allegation.
The High Court’s interim order now halts further proceedings before the trial court, pending consideration of the petitions and the police’s status report.
