Mumbai, Apr 16 (Indian Express) : An arrest warrant has been issued against Sanjay Dutt for non-appearance in court.

A warrant has been issued against actor Sanjay Dutt for “non-appearance” before the court in a matter pertaining to alleged threats to filmmaker Shakeel Noorani. Advocate Neeraj Gupta, who is representing Noorani, said after Dutt’s release from prison in February last year, after serving his sentence in the 1993 Bombay serial blasts case, he was expected to appear in this matter.

“Since his release, he has not appeared before the court for the past four-five hearings. This was brought to the notice of the court which has issued a warrant against Dutt,” Gupta said. The warrant was issued by the Andheri metropolitan magistrate’s court.

A statement from Dutt’s spokesperson said, “This case has been going on for a long time and the present situation has arisen because of the communication lapse between our lawyers and us. We respect the urgency shown by the honourable court regarding our
attendance/representation and would take immediate measures to rectify the situation.”
Mumbai Police spokesperson Ashok Dudhe said, “It is a bailable warrant, which will be served to the actor.”

ANI quoted Gupta, Noorani’s lawyer as saying, “The case is that my client was producing a film in 2009 named ‘Jaan Ki Baazi’ wherein Sanjay Dutt was cast for lead role and a huge amount was also paid to him, but he didn’t come for the shooting therefore the film could not be completed… Noorani thereafter filed a complaint before producer’s associations. The association directed Dutt to play a certain amount to Noorani, since Dutt did not pay such amount. So Noorani filed a petition before High Court.” The lawyer told ANI that after the High Court attached Dutt’s properties in the case, Noorani allegedly received threatening calls from the underworld.

Talking about the arrest warrant, he said, “Since for so many days Sanjay Dutt was not appearing before the court, therefore we made an application for the issuance of warrant. And considering continuous absence in the court, today the court was pleased to issue an arrest warrant against Dutt.”