Taking note of serious charges levelled against Harish Mishra alias Sharma, brother of Romesh Sharma - an alleged frontman of underworld don Dawood Ibrahim [Images], a Delhi court has rejected his bail plea in connection with the forcible retention of a helicopter of a businessman.

"The offences are serious and grave in nature and there is sufficient incriminating material against him on record which shows a prima facie nexus between Harish and his brother Romesh Sharma," Additional Sessions Judge Rajiv Mehra
observed.

He rejected Mishra's bail plea in the seven-year-old case of kidnapping, extortion and robbery.

The Central Bureau of Investigation, which is investigating the case alleged that Harish had, on behalf of Romesh Sharma, struck a deal with H Suresh Rao for leasing out the helicopter for election campaign in Phulpur, UP during the
1996 Lok Sabha polls.

Harish took the helicopter on February 24, 1996 by signing a Memorandum of Understanding, under which the
chopper was leased for two years.

Harish assured Suresh that after two years the MoU will be destroyed and the helicopter will be returned and paid
an advance of Rs 3 lakh while taking possession of the helicopter.

But he violated the MoU and allegedly did not return the helicopter even after the lease period was over.

Instead, he allegedly abducted Rao and inflicted physical and mental torture on him.

On January 19, 1999, a CBI team arrested Harish in Mumbai after receiving a complaint from Rao. The helicopter was seized from Romesh Sharma's farm house near Delhi on October 21 in the same year.

Harish, with the help of his close associates, also issued threats to Suresh's family.

The charges were framed against Romesh Sharma, Harish and eight others in this case.

"There is every likelihood that he may influence the witnesses if he is enlarged on bail and no case for bail is made-out against the accused at this point of time," the judge said in his order.

Harish was arrested under Sections 142 (being member of unlawful assembly), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 365
(kidnapping), 342 (wrongful confining any person), 384 (extrotion), 392 (robbery), 395 (dacoity) and 506 (criminal
intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code.