HC stays NBW against film financier Bharat Shah

Mumbai, May 14 (UNI) The Bombay High Court today stayed till further orders the operation of a non-bailable warrant, issued by a local court, against diamond king and film financier Bharat Shah for allegedly making ''casteist'' remarks against a security guard.

The Vacation court, presided over by Justice R M Sawant stayed the NBW on a plea moved by Shah, challenging the May 12 order of the Borivali metropolitan court directing police to produce him tomorrow.

Earlier, the complaint was filed in metropolitan court by one Lahanu Pathare, a security guard at the Royal Palms Society in suburban Goregaon. Pathare, in his complaint, had said that when he asked Shah why he wanted to enter the housing society, the diamond trader had used a casteist slur against him on February 8.

Pathare, belonging to a tribal community, had filed a complaint with the local police under the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities Act) against Shah.

He subsequently approached the magistrate's court in suburban Borivali and filed a complaint, alleging the police were going slow on the investigation in the case due to Shah's influence.

UNI