Sunday, April 3 2005 10:53 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Mumbai: Gutka baron Rasiklal Manikchand Dhariwal would tomorrow (Apr 4, 2005) appear before CBI for questioning in a case of alleged nexus with the underworld, in keeping with his commitment given to the Supreme Court early last month.

Dhariwal, owner of Manikchand gutka, arrived from Dubai on April one.

He had moved the apex court for quashing a non-bailable warrant issued against him by special MCOCA court in Mumbai as he failed to appear before the police in case of alleged nexus with the underworld.

The Special Leave Petition filed by Dhariwal challenged a February 22 order of the Bombay High Court rejecting his plea for quashing the NBW.

Mumbai police had argued that custodial interrogation of Dhariwal was necessary to dig out the truth while CBI said it did not intend to arrest him right now but may register a fresh case if need be after questioning him.

Mumbai police had got non-bailable warrants against Dhariwal and owner of Goa Gutka J M Joshi as they failed to appear before the police. Their name had surfaced while interrogating Jamiruddin Kalia alias Jumbo, who was earlier arrested in an extortion case.

The investigation was then handed over to the CBI.

Following the NBWs, both Dhariwal and Joshi had moved the special court and Bombay High Court for cancellation of warrants. CBI had made a statement before both the courts that it was presently not contemplating arrest of the two-gutka barons.

Joshi had then assured the Bombay High Court that he would appear before the CBI and had kept his commitment. Dhariwal, too, had told the SC that he would appear before the CBI on April 4.

According to CBI sources, the agency has not yet decided whether to question Dhariwal in Mumbai or in Delhi.

According to police, Jumbo had confessed that Dhariwal and Joshi had approached the underworld don Dawood Ibrahim in Dubai to settle their business dispute.

Following Dhariwal's commitment to the SC, the special court, also hearing the application filed by Joshi for cancellation of NBW, has adjourned Joshi's matter to April 5.