The Bombay high court on 28th October granted Nawazuddin Siddiqui’s brother, Shamas, anticipatory bail in an alleged case of sexual assault, harassment and stalking. The actor’s estranged wife, Aaliya, had accused his brother of allegedly harassing her and outraging her modesty. The high court said that the informant’s story appeared to be “doubtful”. The brother was granted bail on a PR bond of Rs. 25,000 in connection with the FIR which also accused him of criminal intimidation. The FIR had been lodged on July 18.
Meanwhile, the Allahabad high court on October 26 stopped the arrest of Nawazuddin Siddiqui. The court also stopped the arrest of his three family members, who had been named as co-accused in the rape and molestation case filed by Aaliya. The complaint also has a section on child abuse, hence the POCSO Act has been activated too, against another brother, Minajhuddin. The court refused to give him protection.