Ramesh Taurani gets go ahead from Bombay HC to travel abroad

Mumbai: The Bombay high court has allowed the application of music baron Ramesh Taurani, who was acquitted in the 1997 murder of music mogul Gulshan Kumar, to travel abroad for almost a year.

The court, while accepting his oral undertaking that he would share his itinerary with Indian embassies of the country he was visiting, granted him permission to travel overseas. The court also warned him that if breached his undertaking, it would not hesitate to attach his properties and bank account, after which, he should not blame the court for being unable to conduct his business or being deprived of his only source of livelihood.

A division bench of justice S.C. Dharmadhikari and justice Bharti Dangre was hearing an application filed by Mr Taurani. He was arrested under charges of conspiring to murder Mr Kumar and later acquitted. In his application, Mr Taurani said that he was visiting abroad in connection with his business from December 16, 2017, to December 10, 2018. He further said that in February 2017, he had gone abroad with permission of the court but returned on time. Hence, this time, he needed to be allowed to travel abroad.

Public prosecutor Mankunwar Deshmukh submitted that hearing on the criminal appeal against acquittal was about to begin. Hence, Mr Taurani should not be allowed to escape from the clutches of law on the pretext of a business trip. Advocate Deshmukh also emphasised that Mr Taurani had not yet revealed the purpose of his trip.

While granting permission, the court came to know that after Mr Taurani’s Singapore visit, he would return to India for some days before flying off to another country.