The long-running Praful Saree extortion case, which has been in the Surat court since 2003, saw a major development as arrest warrants were issued against Shilpa Shetty’s mother, Sunanda Shetty, and Don Fazlu Rehman. During the court hearing on Saturday, both failed to appear, prompting the court to take strict action. The next hearing is scheduled for April 11. Court ordered accused to be present for evidence verification The court had specifically instructed all accused to be present for evidence verification, particularly regarding a crucial CD containing voice recordings of the threats made to the complainant. The lawyers of the accused were verbally informed about their required presence. However, as none of the accused appeared, the evidence could not be examined, delaying proceedings further. Arrest warrant issued for Shilpa Shetty's mother Government lawyer A.D. Parmar stated that due to the absence of Sunanda Shetty and Don Fazlu, the court has issued arrest warrants against them. Fazlu Rehman’s lawyer, Anish Khayali, argued that his client underwent cardiac surgery in December in Ahmedabad and submitted a medical certificate to the court, claiming that Fazlu is physically unfit to attend proceedings. Dispute over promotion payment The case dates back to 2003 when actress Shilpa Shetty signed a contract to endorse Praful Sarees. After the promotion, the company saw increased profits, but a payment dispute arose between Shilpa Shetty’s father, Surendra Shetty, and the company owner, Devkinandan Agrawal. Allegedly, when Agrawal refused to make the demanded payment, Shilpa Shetty’s parents hired don Fazlu Rehman to extort ₹2 crore from him. Threats from Dubai Complainant Devkinandan Agrawal alleged that Don Fazlu threatened him from Dubai, using 22 different phone numbers. Agrawal later provided a CD containing call recordings as evidence in court. After years of absconding, Don Fazlu was finally arrested and released on bail. The complaint was filed against Surendra Shetty, Sunanda Shetty, Don Fazlu, and an accomplice, Ashraf. Next court hearing on April 11 With the court now issuing arrest warrants, the case is set to continue on April 11, where further proceedings will determine the next course of action against Sunanda Shetty and Don Fazlu. The legal battle, which has dragged on for over two decades, remains one of the most controversial celebrity-linked extortion cases in Gujarat’s history.Original Article by Dainik Bhaskar