SC refuses to interfere with HC order refusing anticipatory bail to film producer Morani

In a set-back to Bollywood producer Karim Morani, who is accused in an alleged rape case, the Supreme Court on Friday refused to interfere with the Andhra Pradesh High Court order rejecting his plea for anticipatory bail.

A bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra, Justice A.M.Khanwilkar and Justice D.Y.Chandrachud asked the film producer to appear before the trial court for grant of regular bail even as senior counsel Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for Morani, told the court that bail could only be cancelled if there was an attempt to tamper with evidence.

He said that it was question of cancellation of bail and not grant of bail.

The top court however refused to grant any relief to Morani, even as Rohatgi told the court that Friday (September 22) was the last day for the film producer to surrender.

"He is in Delhi, he lives in Mumbai and he has to surrender in Hyderabad," he told the court.

Opposing the plea, counsel Karuna Nandi, appearing for the victim, told the court that Morani had suppressed from the trial court the fact of his being in jail for his involvement in 2G case.

Morani's name had figured as an accused in the 2G spectrum scam in which he was allegedly involved in helping channel funds to the tune of Rs 200 crore to Tamil channel Kalaignar TV.

On a complaint by a 25-year-old Delhi woman alleging that Morani had raped her in Mumbai and at a film studio in Hyderabad in 2015 after promising to marry her, the Hayathnagar police had registered a case against the film producer.

Morani was booked for cheating, rape, wrongful confinement), criminal intimidation), and cohabitation caused by a man deceitfully inducing a belief of marriage under the Indian Penal Code.

Morani was granted anticipatory bail by the trial court but the same was cancelled later in March when victim said that he was threatening and blackmailing her.

He moved the high court against the cancellation of his bail but the same was declined last week.

--IANS

pk/vd