SC to hear Sahara employees’ pleas for pending salaries

The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear on Monday interim pleas filed by employees of the Sahara India Group seeking payment of long-pending salaries. The bench, headed by Chief Justice B R Gavai and comprising Justices Surya Kant and M M Sundresh, will also consider Sahara India Commercial Corporation Ltd. 's (SICCL) plea to sell 88 prime properties to Adani Properties Private Limited.

The employees’ interim applications highlight that many workers have not received salaries for months, with some claims dating back several years. They have requested the court’s intervention to ensure that their dues are released, along with arrears and statutory benefits. Lawyers for the employees on Friday urged the bench to list their pleas ahead of SICCL’s main application, citing their urgent financial hardship.

Background of the Sahara India Group Case

The Sahara-SEBI dispute has been ongoing for over a decade. The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) had alleged that Sahara India Group, through its companies SICCL and Sahara India Real Estate Corporation Ltd (SIRECL), raised more than ₹24,000 crore from investors via optionally fully convertible debentures (OFCDs) without regulatory approval.

In 2012, the Supreme Court ordered Sahara to refund the money to investors with interest, citing violations of securities laws. Since then, Sahara has been engaged in prolonged litigation, including appeals, petitions, and legal challenges over how to comply with the refund orders. The company now seeks to sell 88 prime properties to raise funds for meeting investor obligations, a move closely monitored by SEBI and the court.

Supreme Court’s Role and Proceedings

The court has appointed senior advocate Shekhar Naphade as amicus curiae to collate details of the 88 properties, assess their legal status, and review employee claims. The bench has also directed the Sahara Group to examine pending salary claims and instructed the Union Ministries of Finance and Cooperation to respond to the ongoing proceedings by November 17.

The Supreme Court will decide whether the properties should be sold piecemeal or as a single lot and may ensure partial or structured payments for employees while compliance with investor refunds continues.

All matters, including employees’ interim pleas, the intervention application, and SICCL’s main plea, are listed for consideration on November 17. The court’s decision will be crucial in determining whether Sahara India Group employees receive long-overdue salaries or continue to wait while the company addresses its obligations to investors.