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Gutka case hearing deferred to Feb.21


Mumbai, Feb.16, 2005:

The Bombay High Court today deferred till February 21 the hearing on petitions filed by gutka barons Rasiklal Manikchand Dhariwal and Jagdish Joshi.

Both Dhariwal and Joshi are challenging non-bailable warrants issued by a special court against them for their failure to appear in a case of alleged nexus with the underworld.

Adjourning the matter, Justice R M S Khandeparkar and Justice P V Kakade also extended till February 21 their order restraining police from executing warrants against Dhariwal and Joshi.

CBI counsel Raja Thakre and prosecutor Purnima Kantharia on behalf of Mumbai police sought time to file their reply to the petitions and urged for an adjournment till February 21.

Dhariwal and Joshi pleaded that the Crime Branch had summoned them for questioning but they had informed police about their inability to come to India at this juncture as their NRI status would be disturbed.

The gutka barons submitted that they were required to stay abroad for a certain number of days in a year to maintain NRI status and coming here would disqualify them.

They further said that there was no provision in the CrPC to issue warrants as they were merely required for questioning by police to help in the investigations.

They argued that a warrant could be issued only if a person was required to appear before a court and not otherwise.

Both of them had offered to cooperate in the investigations by appearing at a later date, the court was told. (ANI)


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