Mumbai, Jun 02: A Mumbai High Court bench has begun the hearing on an appeal filed by Maharashtra government against acquittal of tips director Ramesh Taurani and Imtiaz Daud Merchant, both accused in Gulshan Kumar murder case. The appeal was admitted before the summer vacations by Justice S S Parkar and Justice S K Shah. The bench had also ordered expeditious hearing and posted the matter for hearing for today.
The high court decided to hear the state`s appeal along with the appeal filed by the convict in Gulshan Kumar murder case Abdul Rauf Daud Merchant alias Rauf Raja. Both the appeals would be heard together. The trial court had on April 30 last year acquitted 18 accused, including Taurani and Imtiaz, on the ground that the prosecution had failed to prove the charge of conspiracy. However, judge M L Tahilyani had convicted Abdul Rauf, brother of Imtiaz, for the murder of audio king Gulshan Kumar. Gulshan Kumar was gunned down outside a temple here on august 12, 1997. According to prosecution, he was killed due to business rivalry. Taurani and music composer Nadeem Akhtar Saifee had allegedly paid Rs 25 lakh to Dawood Ibrahim`s gang commanded by Abu Salem for the crime.
Bureau Report