Bharat Shah gets a year, 6 years for two others
PTI, Mumbai
Leading film financier and diamond merchant Bharat Shah was sentenced to one year's imprisonment by a special court on Wednesday for concealing evidence on Bollywood's links with the underworld.The special court also sentenced MCOCA accused film producer Nasim Rizvi and his assistant, Abdul Rahim Allahbaksh, to six years rigorous imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs 5 lakh each for being part of an organised crime syndicate and conspiring with gangster Chhota Shakeel. Shah was acquitted of charges under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) on Tuesday, but was convicted under two sections of the Indian Penal Code. Designated judge A P Bhangale delivered the sentences after hearing the defence lawyers' arguments on Wednesday. On Tuesday, the court held that it stands proven that Rizvi and Abdul Rahim had acted as 'members of an organised crime syndicate' issuing extortion threats on behalf of the underworld. The punishment prescribed for the offence of Rizvi and Rahim - breach of the Indian Penal Code and of the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act - extends up to a life term in jail.
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