Shayan Munshi released on bail

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New Delhi: Shayan Munshi, a small-time Bollywood actor and prime witness in the Jessica Lall murder case, was released on bail after being arrested at the Kolkata airport on Saturday afternoon.

A look out notice had been issued against Munshi after Jessica Lall's retrial began.

There was also a transit remand against him which barred him from leaving the country without taking permission from the police.

North 24 Parganas Superintendent of Police Ranvir Kumar told PTI that Munshi, who was with his family, was arrested on the basis of the notice.

Munshi was later produced in the SDJM court in Barrackpore, which granted him bail and also directed him to submit his passport.

Being a witness in the Jessica Lall murder case, it was mandatory for Munshi to seek the police's approval to leave the country, as the case is still to be heard in the Delhi High Court.

The remand had been issued as he was a hostile witness and had retracted from his earlier statements during the Jessica murder trial.

Official sources said Shayan was first intercepted by the immigration officials at the international terminal when he turned up with his father.

He was later handed over to the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport Authority police station, where he is being interrogated.

The actor was reportedly on his way to Bangkok with his father - leaving the country without informing the Delhi Police.

However, the Delhi Police have no official confirmation of the arrest as of yet though they have plans to question Munshi again as a re-trial has been ordered in the case.

Munshi, a struggling model at the time of Jessica's murder, was present at designer Malini Ramani's restaurant Tamarind Court on the fateful night.

The 27-year-old model-actor originally filed the FIR after Jessica's murder but later retracted his statement that implicated prime accused Manu Sharma.

However, he was quick to dismiss all the allegations against him, citing young age. Munshi says wants to put the past behind him and move ahead with his life.

After his turnaround, the Jessica Lall case fell flat and collapsed completely when other witnesses, too, turned hostile.

All the 10 accused, including Manu Sharma, were acquitted by a Delhi court earlier this year.

Shayan Munshi will be produced before a local court. He was traveling with his family, who have also been booked.

(With inputs from agencies)

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