Mumbai: The Mumbai High Court today (Dec 18, 2003) granted conditional bail to producer Nasim Rizvi, who was recently convicted by a Special Court for developing alleged nexus with the underworld to target film personalities for financial gains.

Admitting his appeal against the Special Court's verdict, Justice A S Aguiar granted him bail in the sum of Rs 50,000 with one surety of like amount. Rizvi was directed to attend Crime Branch Unit One office once a fortnight and told not to leave the jurisdiction of the High Court without leave.

On October 1, the designated Judge A P Bhangale had sentenced Rizvi and his assistant Abdul Rahim Allah Baksh to six years' rigorous imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs 1 lakh on him.

Financier Bharat Shah was sentenced to one years' RI but was let off the hook as he had already spent the term in jail. He was acquitted under MCOCA (Maharashtra Control for Organised Crime Act) but convicted under IPC (Indian Penal Code).

Rizvi's lawyers Majeed Memon and Parvez Memon pleaded that their client had already spent half the sentence in jail and that he should be granted bail on the ground of parity as co-accused Abdul Rahim Allah Baksh had got liberty from the High Court after his appeal was admitted.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra Government has filed an appeal against the acquittal of accused Mohammed Shamshuddin alias Bhatija and Shah under MCOCA. So far it has not been heard.

It was the case of police that the Rizvi, Abdul Rahim, Shah and Bhatija had conspired with Pakistan- based gangster Chhota Shakeel to extort money from Bollywood persons. Police claims to have recorded telephonic talks between them and Shakeel which allegedly revealed their nexus.

PTI