Bharat Shah, son get interim protection from arrest

A court here on Tuesday granted interim protection from arrest to businessman and film producer Bharat Shah and his son, who were booked for allegedly assaulting policemen at Gamdevi in south Mumbai. Fearing arrest, Shah and his son Rajiv moved an anticipatory bail application before additional sessions judge D S Deshmukh, an official said.

The duo also sought interim relief, which was granted till December 3, he added. The Gamdevi police had arrested three people, including Shah's grandson Yash, following a brawl at a south Mumbai pub in the early hours of November 23.

Shah (75) and Rajiv (55) reached the police station and allegedly tried pressurising police personnel to release Yash, a police official said. They allegedly instigated Yash to fight with an officer, following which other policemen intervened, he added.

A case was registered against Bharat, Rajiv and Yash under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and Maharashtra Police Act, he said. In their anticipatory bail application, the duo claimed that it has been falsely framed in the case as the officer was agitated and aggressive in his conduct.

The policemen were beating the arrested accused and treating them in grossly inhuman and illegal manner, the application stated. In its reply, filed through public prosecutor Sumesh Panjwani, the police dismissed the duo's claim as "baseless".

PTI AVI ARU ARU.