Mumbai: A sessions court today (June 23, 2004) rejected the bail plea of incarcerated director Kaizad Gustad and his two assistants, arrested in connection with the accidental death of young director Nadia Khan on charges of culpable homicide not amounting to murder.

The bail petitions were rejected by sessions judge S U Saudankar on the ground that investigations were incomplete and their release at this juncture would hamper probe.

Saudankar observed that the accused had earlier misled the police by stating that Nadia was killed in a road mishap and not in a train accident. Hence, there was a possibility of the accused tampering with evidence if they were released. Opposing their bail plea, prosecutor R V Kini argued that investigations were incomplete and the accused might tamper with evidence if granted liberty as they are influential persons in the society.

Advocates Usha Purohit and Rajendra Shirodkar, appearing behalf of Nadia's family, supported the prosecution's argument that the accused might hamper probe if granted bail.

Urging for bail, lawyers for Gustad and his colleagues, Satish Maneshinde and Sayaji Nangre, argued that the accused had been wrongly booked for the charge of culpable homicide not amounting to murder.

Earlier, a magistrate had rejected twice the bail petitions of Gustad and his assistants Ashish Udeshi and Hadley D'Mello on the same ground.

They are facing the charge of culpable homicide not amounting to murder in the case of Nadia who was knocked down by a train at Mahalaxmi railway station during the shooting of film "Mumbai Central" on May 25.

In another development, principal judge R R Vachha rejected on June 19 the anticipatory bail plea of C G Ashokan, stationmaster of Mahalaxmi railway station. He is likely to be arrested on charges of failure to report Nadia's accident to police although he was on duty at the relevant time.