Film producer Nasim Rizvi and his assistant Abdul Rahim Allah Baksh, held in a case of alleged nexus with underworld, were on Wednesday remanded to judicial custody till Thursday by a special court which reserved its order till then on the bail plea of financier and co-accused Bharat Shah.
Shah was not brought to the court as he had been undergoing treatment in a private hospital since July 10. He has urged for bail on medical grounds. His bail plea on merits has been rejected on six occasions earlier.
Urging for Shah's liberty on health ground, eminent criminal lawyer V R Manohar, harped on Section 437 of Cr.Pc which allows bail in case of a sick accused.
Opposing his bail, special public prosecutor Rohini Salian argued that Shah was being tried under Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) and Section 21 thereof imposes a ban on bail. MCOCA had an overriding effect over other acts, she argued. The prosecutor referred to medical report of November 6 submitted by a panel of doctors appointed by the court to supervise Shah's condition. This report, she said, suggested that Shah would be in a position to attend the court by last month end. This period had already expired, she pointed out.
Arguments concluded before designated judge A P Bhangale who reserved order until Thursday on Shah's bail plea.
Police claim to have recorded telephonic talks between Rizvi, Abdul Rahim, Shah and Karachi-based gangster Chhota Shakeel which allegedly reveal that they had targetted film personalities for personal gains. Bureau Report