Man arrested 11 years after apex court issued non-bailalable warrant

The Supreme Court today granted bail to a man who was arrested and produced before it by Maharashtra police in pursuant of a non-bailable warrant issued by it 11 years ago.A bench of justices P Sathasivam and AR Dave directed that Moinuddin Bijli Khan be released on a personal bond of Rsone lakh to be furnished before the registrar general of theSupreme Court and also imposed certain other conditions.The apex court asked Khan to surrender his passport to the SHO Kurwai Police Station, Vidisha, Madhya Pradesh, within three days and not to leave the district until further orders. Besides, he shall report to the police every day, it said.The bench posted the matter for further hearing to July 23 when it would take up the contempt proceedings initiated by the Supreme Court against Khan way back in 1999.The apex court had on February 2, 1999, issued NBW against Khan after he repeatedly failed to appear before it in the contempt proceedings initiated against him by M/S Devi Housing Ltd over a property dispute in Maharashtra.During the brief hearing of the case, Khan told the apex court today that he was not aware of the contempt proceedings and NBW as he had left the country for the US on December 10,1998, where he had stayed for several years before returningto India, culminating in his arrest.

Counsel SD Singh and Vijay Kumar, appearing for Devi Housing initially, opposed any relief to Khan on the ground that his past conduct was not reliable. However, the apex court granted him bail after imposing the conditions.