The arrest of Surendra Shetty, father of actress Shilpa Shetty, in a case of extortion appeared imminent on Tuesday with the Gujarat high court rejecting his anticipatory bail plea.

On June 3, the high court had given 'interim liberty' to Shetty, who was facing arrest in a case registered against him and two others by the Umra police in Surat. The court had, however, restrained him from leaving the country.

Shetty has been charged with hiring a gangster to recover Rs 8 million due to his daughter, Shilpa, from the owner of Praful Sarees, Pankaj Agarwal, for appearing in an ad film.

Police claim to possess tapes of telephonic conversation between Shilpa's parents, Surendra and Sunanda, and Agarwal.