Shilpa Shetty's father faces arrest in extortion case

MUMBAI: Facing arrest in an extortion case registered in the textile town of Surat in Gujarat, actress Shilpa Shetty''s father Surendra Shetty moved a sessions court here seeking anticipatory bail even as cops from the neighbouring state questioned his younger daughter and upcoming star Shamita Shetty in the same matter.
Sessions judge P V Bavkar would hear Shetty''s bail plea on Saturday.In all likelihood, he would not be arrested till then as the matter is sub-judice.
Shetty pleaded in the petition that he may be given transit bail until he obtained bail from a regular court in Surat.
Surat police commissioner V K Gupta told reporters that Shilpa had entered into a modelling deal some years ago with a saree manufacturer who allegedly did not pay her dues. Parents of the actress had allegedly hired an international gang based in Malaysia to recover the amount. An extortion threat was then issued for Rs 1 crore.
This information came to light during interrogation of a member of the same gang. Altogether Rs 50,000 cash was recovered from the gangster at the time of his arrest. He has been handed over to Mumbai police for a three-day remand in another case.
Umra police in Surat registered a case against Shilpa''s parents and the gangster, Gupta said.
Armed with a warrant, a team of Surat police arrived here on Friday to arrest Shilpa''s father but he had gone to the court. Instead, they questioned Shamita and the interaction lasted for a brief while. Both Shilpa and her mother are abroad.