Viveka’s friend Gautam Vohra gets court relief

MUMBAI - A Mumbai court Tuesday directed the city police not to arrest former supermodel Viveka Babajee’s friend Gautam Vohra without giving him prior notice of 72 hours in connection with her suicide case.

Disposing off his anticipatory bail application, Principal Judge of Mumbai City Civil and Sessions Court M.L. Tahaliyani said the notice would be exclusive of public and court holidays, said his lawyer Shishir Gupte.

“The police have said that they have no intention of arresting him so far, but he may be needed for giving his statement in the case. Accordingly, the police was directed to give him notice prior to arrest,” Gupte told IANS.

Vohra, an investment consultant, is said to be the last person who met Viveka Thursday, nearly 24 hours before she hanged herself in her Bandra apartment.

On Monday, Tahaliyani had directed Vohra to record his statement in the matter with the Khar police, which he had complied with.

Vohra has been under a cloud since Viveka’s suicide, which shocked the entertainment and glamour industry in Mumbai. Viveka committed suicide by hanging herself from the ceiling fan of her living room Friday.

Gupte had contended that his client apprehended arrest on charges of abetting the supermodel’s suicide and hence was seeking anticipatory bail.

Vohra had also gone underground and avoided all contact with the media since the past three days, fuelling further speculation.

Police sought to interrogate all her friends and acquaintances, including Vohra, to ascertain the motives leading Viveka to suicide.

The former supermodel was cremated Monday after her mother and three sisters reached here from Mauritius.