Supreme Court Stays ₹5 Lakh Cost Imposed To Set Aside NBWs In Adarsh Housing SFIO Case

The Supreme Court recently (April 27) issued notice on a petition filed by Meenakshi Modi, an accused in an SFIO case linked to the Adarsh Build Estate housing fraud, to examine the validity of a Rs 5 lakh cost imposed by the Punjab and Haryana High Court while setting aside non-bailable warrants against her.

The court stayed the condition till next hearing in August.

A bench of Justices Sanjay Kumar and K. Vinod Chandran limited the notice to this aspect and directed Modi to appear before the trial court within one week.

“The validity of imposition of costs of 5,00,000/- (Rupees ₹ five lakhs only) upon each of the petitioners as a condition precedent, for setting aside the non-bailable warrants against them, requires examination. The petitioners shall, however, appear before the trial Court, within one week from today.”

The High Court had, on April 16, 2026 set aside non-bailable warrants issued against Modi on January 7, 2026, subject to payment of ₹5 lakh within seven days.

The case arises from a complaint dated May 18, 2019 filed by the Serious Fraud Investigation Office against Adarsh Build Estate Ltd and over 180 accused persons. Modi has been arrayed as an accused in the case.

Trial court records show that Modi was summoned in June 2019 and had filed multiple applications seeking exemption from personal appearance. On January 7, 2026, the trial court issued non-bailable warrants against her after noting her absence and forfeiting her bail bonds.

Modi challenged the warrants before the High Court, which set them aside subject to the cost. She has now approached the Supreme Court challenging that condition.

The matter will be heard on August 7.