Delhi High Court Quashes CBI Order Directing Bentley Dealer to Furnish ₹50 Lakh Demand Draft

The Delhi High Court has set aside a CBI directive asking Bentley dealer Exclusive Motors to furnish a ₹50 lakh demand draft to the central agency in connection with a case involving Samruddha Jeevan Foods.

The company had paid the amount as an advance for a Bentley car, but later defaulted, leading to forfeiture of the sum. 

Justice Neena Bansal Krishna held that a demand draft isn’t a “document” under Section 91 CrPC, which only covers existing documents or items.

The Court noted that CBI’s order was like a recovery and not the production of documents for investigation or trial as envisaged under the CrPC. The CBI’s request was, therefore, invalid, and the order was quashed.