HC seeks whereabouts of Gulshan Kumar's murderer

The Bombay High Court has sought to know the whereabouts of Abdul Rauf Mechant, who was convicted for the murder of music baron Gulshan Kumar.

The Bombay High Court has sought to know the whereabouts of Abdul Rauf Mechant, who was convicted for the murder of music baron Gulshan Kumar.

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Rauf was released on parole last year, but after that he went missing.

Yesterday, when his appeal against conviction came up for hearing, government lawyer could not tell the High Court where he was.

"Verify whether the accused (Rauf) is absconding after being released on parole or if he is in jail," said the division bench of Justices P B Majumdar and Rajesh Ketkar.

"If he is not in jail, what steps have been taken to rearrest him?", the judges asked, seeking a report by January 18.

Gulshan Kumar was shot dead in August 1997, outside a temple in suburban Andheri. According to the prosecution case, his rivals had paid money to gangster Abu Salem to eliminate him.

However, trial court only convicted Rauf and acquitted others. Rauf was released on parole last year, after which he reportedly went missing.