Wednesday, August 17 2005 19:09 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Mumbai: The Bombay High Court today (August 17, 2005) granted an interim stay on a lower court's order seeking to make gutka king Rasiklal Manikchand Dhariwal an accused in the case of alleged nexus with underworld.

Hearing Dhariwal's plea, a bench headed by Justice S S Parkar referred the matter to a larger bench and in the meantime granted stay on the lower court's order.

Designated Judge A P Bhangale, on July 27, 2005 had held that there was 'prima facie' evidence that Dhariwal and another gutka king, Jagdish Joshi, had links with underworld don Dawood Ibrahim.

The special court had also issued notices to Dhariwal and Joshi, asking them why they should not be named as accused for allegedly helping Dawood in gutka business.

Being aggrieved, Dhariwal filed a petition in the Bombay High Court urging for quashing the lower court's order and seeking an interim stay in the meantime.

CBI had alleged before a special court that Joshi and Dhariwal, owners of Goa Gutka and Manikchand Gutka respectively, had allegedly helped Dawood Ibrahim in setting up gutka business in Pakistan.

According to CBI, co-accused had disclosed during interrogation that they had sent gutka pouch making machines to Pakistan via Dubai at the instance of both gutka kings to establish gutka business for the underworld don.

As Dhariwal and Joshi were in Dubai, court issued non-bailable warrant against them asking them to appear in the case. The duo returned to India saying they stayed in Dubai to maintain their non-resident status and later appeared before CBI on several occasions for questioning.