Court orders Maharashtra to release Salman Khan's dues

Mumbai, Jan 21 (IANS) A Mumbai court Wednesday ordered the Maharashtra government to clear Bollywood actor Salman Khan's dues of Rs. 2.50 million that have been outstanding for long.

Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) judge Y.D. Shinde gave his ruling on an application filed by Salman to clear his dues for acting in the movie 'Chori Chori, Chupke Chupke' that shortly before its release had became controversial with several government departments investigating the sources of its finances from questionable quarters and the suspected mafia links of the people associated with it.

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As per Salman's agreement, he was entitled to a payment of Rs.15 million from the movie's producers Bharat Shah.

While Shah and filmmaker Nazim Rizvi were among those arrested, the court appointed a receiver to handle all the financial aspects of the movie post-release, Special Public Prosecutor Rohini Salian told reporters this evening.

Later, the court receiver deposited the income generated by the movie and the payment due to be made to Salman in the state government treasury, she added.

Shinde has ordered that Salman's dues must be cleared by the state government, but the judge did not indicate any time-frame.

Meanwhile, Shah was convicted under sections of the Indian Penal Code but not under MCOCA, while Rizvi is out on bail.

The film, a musical family drama that did above-average business, featured Salman, Preity Zinta and Rani Mukherjee.