Tuesday, June 28 2005 16:48 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Mumbai: A special court today (Jun 28, 2005) granted CBI time till July 15 to file a report on its probe into the alleged links of Gutka barons Jagdish Joshi and Rasiklal Dhariwal with the underworld.

On a plea made by CBI for further time, the court allowed the agency to file its report on July 15.

Earlier, CBI had sought two months time to submit its report and the court asked the agency to file its investigation report by June 28.

Two accused who were arrested in this case had allegedly revealed during interrogations that they had exported gutka manufacturing machines to Dubai at the instance of gutka kings and alleged that Joshi and Dhariwal had helped Pakistan-based don Dawood Ibrahim in setting up gutka business in the neighbouring country.

The court had issued warrant against Joshi, owner of Goa gutka and another gutka king Rasiklal Manikchand Dhariwal of Manikchand gutka for their failure to appear in this case.

In April, special judge A P Bhangale had cancelled non-bailable warrant issued against Joshi as CBI contended that Joshi had appeared before them for investigations and was cooperating in the probe.

Both Joshi and Dhariwal were in Dubai and had expressed their inability to come to India immediately to maintain their NRI status. Later, Joshi returned and Dhariwal followed him. Both of them appeared before CBI on several occasions.

The court has granted them permanent exemption from appearance in this case.