New Delhi: Industrialist Ashok Todi, who is fearing arrest in the Rizwanur Rehman case, today moved the Supreme Court challenging the order of a Kolkata trial court issuing non-bailable warrant against him and other accused for their failure to appear before it.

A Bench headed by Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan posted the matter for hearing on November 10 after Todi's counsel said that his surrender would lead to his arrest and therefore the petition should be heard on an urgent basis.

Senior advocate Harish Salve, appearing for Todi, who has been chargesheeted for alleged abetment of suicide of his son-in-law Rehman, said that despite the October 13 order of the apex court there was no protection to the industrialist.

The apex court had earlier said that trial in the case would not commence till the Calcutta High Court decides a petition filed by Todi challenging CBI's decision to chargesheet him in the case.

Todi, along with six others, was chargesheeted by the CBI on September 22 for alleged abetment of Rizwanur's suicide. A Metropolitan Magistrate in Kolkata has asked the accused to appear before it on October 27 but they had failed to abide by the order leading to the issuance of NBW.

In the beginning of the matter, when Salve mentioned the petition, the Bench said the accused can cooperate in the proceedings related to the case.

However, Salve said the arrest warrant was coming in the way and the surrender of the accused would lead to his arrest and the previous order of the apex court would become meaningless.

The senior advocate gave another dimension to the case saying that it has acquired a communal tinge in West Bengal.
Source : PTI