Central Information Commission
Smt. Pooja Saraswat vs Ministry Of Corporate Affairs on 6 February, 2026
CIC/MOCAF/A/2024/136160
के ीय सूचना आयोग
Central Information Commission
बाबा गंगनाथ माग,मुिनरका
Baba Gangnath Marg, Munirka
नई द ली, New Delhi - 110067
ि तीय अपील सं या / Second Appeal No. CIC/MOCAF/A/2024/136160
ि तीय अपील सं या / Second Appeal No. CIC/MOCAF/A/2024/136162
Smt. Pooja Saraswat ... अपीलकता/Appellant
VERSUS
बनाम
CPIO: Ministry of Corporate
Affairs, New Delhi ... ितवादीगण/Respondents
ि तीय अपील सं या / Second Appeal No. CIC/MOCAF/A/2024/136160
Relevant dates emerging from the appeal:
RTI : 03.09.2024 FA : 01.10.2024 SA : 01.11.2024
CPIO : Not on record FAO : Not on record Hearing : 04.02.2026
ि तीय अपील सं या / Second Appeal No. CIC/MOCAF/A/2024/136162
Relevant dates emerging from the appeal:
RTI : 03.09.2024 FA : 01.10.2024 SA : 01.11.2024
CPIO : Not on record FAO : Not on record Hearing : 04.02.2026
Date of Decision: 04.02.2026
CORAM:
Hon'ble Commissioner
Shri P R Ramesh
ORDER
Note: Since the parties are same and subject matter involved is same, the aforementioned cases are clubbed together for hearing and disposal.
Page 1 of 8CIC/MOCAF/A/2024/136160 ि तीय अपील सं या / Second Appeal No. CIC/MOCAF/A/2024/136160
1. The Appellant filed an RTI application dated 03.09.2024 seeking information on the following points:
"सहारा ू शॉप यूिनक ोडकर रज िलिमटे ड के अ गत जमाधन का भुगतान के स भ म आपको रिज ड प ांक िदनां क 10.04.2023 िकये गए डा ूमट के साथ ािथयों ने िषत िकया था। यहा उ स म आपके ारा की गई कायवाही एवं FIR की माण ितयाँ ा "
1.2. Having not received any response from the CPIO, the Appellant filed a First Appeal on 01.10.2024 FAA's order, if any, is not available on record.
1.3. Aggrieved with the non-receipt of the FAA's order, the Appellant approached the Commission with the instant Second Appeal dated 01.11.2024.
ि तीय अपील सं या / Second Appeal No. CIC/MOCAF/A/2024/136162 2.1 The Appellant filed an RTI application dated 03.09.2024 seeking information on the following points:
" ािथया ( ीमती पूजा सार त पी० ी गौरख कुमार शमा) ने िदनां क 10.04.2023 को रिज ड पीक ारा आपके कायालय म सहारा इ या प रवार कायालय- गंगापुर िसटी (सवाईमाधोपुर) म िविभ योजनाओं म िनवेशरIिश ाज सिहत ा हे तु आवेदन-प भय डा ूमटस ेिषत िकया था सव ायालय ारा पा रत अिडयों की अनुपालना म पर ु आज िदनाँक तक कोई सिश ा नहीं ई। आप ारा की गई आपके ारा की गई कायवाही एवं FIR की माण ितयाँ िदलवाना सुिनि त कर।"
2.2 Having not received any response from the CPIO, the Appellant filed a First Appeal on 01.10.2024 FAA's order, if any, is not available on record.
Page 2 of 8CIC/MOCAF/A/2024/136160 2.3. Aggrieved with the non-receipt of the FAA's order, the Appellant approached the Commission with the instant Second Appeal dated 01.11.2024.
Facts emerging in Course of Hearing:
Appellant: Shri Krishna Kumar Sharma, Authorized Representative- participated in the hearing through video-conference.
Respondent: Shri Mukesh Kumar Soni, Jt. Director, Ministry of Corporate Affairs, Shri K.V. Rao, DD, SFIO- participated in the hearing.
3. Shri Krishna Kumar Sharma stated that Appellant had made investment with Sahara Q Shop Unique Products Range Limited. He averred that he had sought information related to action taken by the department on the representation of the Appellant made in this regard for refund of her money.
4. Shri Mukesh Kumar Soni, Jt. Director, Ministry of Corporate Affairs stated that the information sought does not relate to their office and the RTI Application of the Appellant was transferred to PIO, Serious Fraud Investigation Office on 04.10.2024. The relevant extract whereof is as under:
"..म ीमती पूजा सार वत और ीमती सुषमा शमा का आरटीआई आवेदन दनांक 30.08.2024 थानांत रत कर रहा ।ँ जो इस कायालय म 13.09.2024 को ा आ। हम। आरटीआई अिधिनयम, 2005 क धारा 6 (3) के अनुसार मांगी गई जानकारी आवेदक को सीधे उ र देने के िलए आपके लोक ािधकरण के पास जानकारी उपल ध तीत होती है।.."
5. A written submission dated 21.01.2026 has been received from CPIO, Ministry of Corporate Affairs. The relevant extracts whereof is as under
"..Kindly refer to your above referred 4 notices dated 09.01.2026 listed for hearing on dated 04.02.2026 2nd appeal application from Smt. Sushma Sharma and Smt. Pooja Saraswat. In this regard, earlier than CPIO has replied to the applicant. (copy attached).Page 3 of 8
CIC/MOCAF/A/2024/136160
2. Further, I am enclosing herewith Hon'ble Supreme Court order in Writ Petition(s) (Civil) No(s). 191/2022 (copy enclosed) dated 12.09.2025 and press note of Ministry of Cooperation dated 29.07.2025 (copy enclosed) for kind perusal in which its stated that In compliance of the Hon'ble Supreme Court's Order dated 29.03.2023, an Online Portal "CRCS-Sahara refund portal" https://mocrefund.crcs.gov.in created.
3. The above 4 application are related to all the application may be advised to file their claim before the competent authority.."
6. Shri K.V. Rao, DD, SFIO stated that the relevant information as available in their records has been duly provided to the Appellant. He averred that the representation of the Appellant has not been received in their office. Furthermore, investigation in respect of Sahara Group of Companies is still under process and any information related to the investigation is exempted from disclosure under Section 8(1)(h). He placed on record copies of CPIO reply dated 30.10.2024 and FAA order dated 05.12.2024.
7. PIO, SFIO vide reply dated 30.10.2024 stated as under:
"..आपको सूिचत कया जाता है क आपका उ रसीद माण प उपल ध रकॉड के अनुसार इस कायालय को ा नह आ है। उपल ध माणप इस कायालय म जमा कए जा सकते ह िजन पर जांच के दौरान िवचार कया जाएगा।
आरटीआई अिधिनयम, 2005 क धारा 8 (1) (एच) के अनुसार-
"सूचना के कटीकरण से छू ट (1) इस अिधिनयम म कसी भी बात के होते ए भी, कसी भी नाग रक को देने क कोई बा यता नह होगी (एच) ऐसी जानकारी जो अपरािधयो क जांच या िगर तारी या अिभयोजना क या म बाधा उ प करे गी ।Page 4 of 8
CIC/MOCAF/A/2024/136160 इस संबंध म यह सूिचत कया जाता है क सहारा समूह क कं पिनय के मामल क जांच अभी भी याधीन है इसिलए मांगी गई जानकारी साझा नह क जा सकती ।..."
8. FAA, SFIO vide order dated 05.12.2024 stated as under:
2. "..यह सबसे पहले अं कत करना मह वपूण है क संबंिधत सीपीआईओ ने अपने प म उ लेख कया है क अपीलकता का रसीद माण प , जो क रिज टड ए.डी. प ांक दनांक 10.04.2023 के तहत था, िजसम रसीद माण प सं या 562018804179 दज थी और जो सहारा यू शॉप यूिनट ोड ट रज िलिमटेड कं पनी से उनके जमा धन रािश ₹5600/- लस याज को मािणत करता था, वह प ांक इस कायालय के उपल ध रकॉड के अनुसार ा नह आ है। उपरो िववरण के म ेनजर, अपीलकता ारा वांिछत जानकारी, यानी उनके जमा माण प पर कायालय ारा उठाए गए कदम के बारे म, सीपीआईओ के पास उपल ध नह थी।
3... इसके अित र , यह भी यान म रखना चािहए क जमाधान वापस करने का उ अनुरोध प प से एसएफआईओ के अिधकार े से बाहर है। एसएफआईओ का अिधकार े कं पनी अिधिनयम, 2013 के तहत् के वल इस अिधिनयम क धारा 212 के तहत कॉप रेट मं ालय ारा स पे गए जांच को पूरा करना है और अपनी अंितम जांच रपोट मं ालय को तुत करना है, और य द मं ालय ारा िनदिशत कया जाए तो जांच रपोट म आरोिपत ि य के िखलाफ आपरािधक िशकायत क कायवाही शु करना है।
4. उपरो के आधार पैर, यह पुनः बताया जाता है क य द अपीलकता को इि छत हो तो संबंिधत माणप इस कायालय म जमा कए जा सकते ह, और उन पर सहारा समूह क याधीन जांच के अंतगत िवचार कया जाएगा, परं तु एसएफआईओ अपीलकता को जमा धन वापस कराने म असमथ होगा।
5. इस मामले म आगे कोई ह त ेप क आव यकता नह है."Page 5 of 8
CIC/MOCAF/A/2024/136160
9. A written submission dated 03.02.2026 has been received from the CPIO, Serious Fraud Investigation Office and same has been taken on record . The relevant extracts whereof is as under
"..2.As regards the appeal of the appellant, the pointwise facts is submitted as under:
a) The applicant filed 2 RTI applications dated 01-10-2024 and 03-09-
2024 which were received on transfer by SFIO.
b) The applicant has requested for action taken on her representation dated 10-04-2023 regarding her investment in Sahara Q Shop Unique products Range Limited, copies of FIR and for recovery of amount.
c) The CPIO vide letter dated 30-10-2024 submitted the said receipts quoted by the applicants was not received by SFIO. It was further informed that if the applicant submits the receipts/certificates, the same will be investigated into. It is further informed that investigation in the case of Sahara Group of companies is under progress and hence the information sought including action taken report cannot be provided u/s 8(1)(h) of the RTI Act.
d) First Appellate authority vide order dated 05-12-2024 upheld the order of CPIO and held that since the letter referred to in the RTI Application is not received by SFIO, no information regarding the same can be provided. It is also held that SFIO is an investigative agency and its mandate is to investigate cases assigned to it under section 212 of Companies Act 2013 by the Ministry of Corporate Affairs but does not involve refunding of deposits.
e) Since the receipt/certificate/letter referred to by the applicant is not received by SFIO, no information in the same could be provided. Since investigation is under progress, details of investigation cannot be Page 6 of 8 CIC/MOCAF/A/2024/136160 provided at this juncture. Any disclosure of the details of the investigation, persons under investigation, line of investigation, progress/procedure of investigation will prejudice the investigation and may adversely affect the evidence, witnesses etc.
f) Further it is reiterated that SFIO is an investigative agency and recovery/distribution is not part of the mandate of SFIO and it is learnt that such work is being done by SEBI, CRCS Sahara Refund Portal under Office of Central Registrar of Cooperative Societies Ministry of Cooperation.
3. In view of the above, the Honourable CIC is requested to consider the abovementioned facts and uphold the orders of CPIO and First Appellate authority.
Decision:
10. At the outset, Commission directs the concerned PIOs. i.e Ministry of Corporate Affairs and the CPIO, Serious Fraud Investigation Office to furnish a copy of their latest written submission along with annexures if any, to the RTI Applicant, free of cost via speed-post and via e-mail, within 07 days from the date of receipt of this order and accordingly, compliance report be sent to the Commission.
11. The Commission after adverting to the facts and circumstances of the case, hearing parties and perusal of records, observes that an appropriate response in terms of the provisions of the RTI Act has been provided to the Appellant. Furthermore, the written submission filed by the Respondent is comprehensive and self-explanatory. Commission notes that 'information' as defined in the section 2(f) of the Act, only refers to such material as is already available in the records of the public authority. Furthermore, the RTI Act, 2005 does not cast an obligation upon the public authority, to create or collate such non-available information and then furnish it to an applicant. Hence, intervention of the Commission is not required in the instant matter.Page 7 of 8
CIC/MOCAF/A/2024/136160 Matters are disposed of accordingly.
Copy of the decision be provided free of cost to the parties.
(P R Ramesh) (पी. आर. रमे श) Information Commissioner (सूचना आयु ) Authenticated true copy Vivek Agarwal (िववेक अ वाल) Dy. Registrar (उप पंजीयक) 011-26107048 Addresses of the parties:
1. CPIO under RTI, Section Officer & CPIO, O/o.
the Director General-(CA), Ministry of Corporate Affairs, Kota House Annexe, 1--Shahjahan Road, New Delhi-110011.
2 Smt. Pooja Saraswat Page 8 of 8 Recomendation(s) to PA under section 25(5) of the RTI Act, 2005:-
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