MCOCA court seeks clarification of HC stay order

Mumbai, Mar 2 (UNI) A special court today directed the prosecution to get a clarification from the Bombay High Court whether Gutka barons Jagdish Joshi and Rasiklal Dhariwal can be arrested for further investigation into their alleged links with the underworld in view of stay granted earlier by the superior court in the same case.

The Central Bureau of Investigation, which has been investigating the case, had secured Non-Bailable Warrants (NBWs) from the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) court against the duo on February 27 two wever, they got repreive yesterday from the MCOCA court and High Court.

Mr Joshi approached the High Court, while Mr Dhariwal moved the MCOCA court, and both succeeded in getting the warrants stayed yesterday.

MCOCA court judge Ashok Bhangale today asked the prosecution to get further clarification from the High Court if the lower court can conduct remand proceedings in the event of the arrest of the gutka barons.

Mr Bhangale passed this order when CBI counsel P Arun informed the court that the High Court order of August 17, 2005 had not stayed the case investigation. The counsel said since the agency required custodial interrogation of the gutka barons, their arrest also becomes necessary and hence they secured NBWs from the court on February 27 as the accused were not found at the addresses given by them to the CBI.

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