The attempt of Dinesh Dalmia, one of the main accused in the Rs 120 crore (Rs 1.2 billion) Calcutta Stock Exchange scam, to leave the country was foiled at the Delhi's International Airport on Thursday night when the immigration authority stopped him. Dalmia was booked on a foreign airline flying out of the Indira Gandhi International Airport.

He had earlier obtained an order of injunction from the Chennai high court instructing the Kolkata Police not to disturb him in any manner.

The Kolkata Police had obtained an arrest warrant from the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate, Kolkata, against Dalmia but could not serve it as Dalmia had obtained the Chennai High Court order. However, notice of the arrest warrant against Dalmia was served in all cities. Acting on this, the immigration authority at Delhi airport stopped him.

CSE had filed a first information report against Dalmia before the detective department of the Kolkata Police alleging his involvement in the share scam of March 2001 that pushed the bourse to bankruptcy.

The Kolkata Police has so far arrested 18 other persons accused in the scam, including B V Goud, former managing director of Stock Holding Corporation, senior officers of Indusind Bank and Srei Securities as well as some big brokers.

Kolkata Police sources said an application for vacating the Chennai High Court order was being prepared.

Ketan Parekh bail extended: Ketan Parekh, the Mumbai-based stockbroker, has obtained an interim bail from the Bombay High Court till January 20, 2003. While granting the interim bail, the division bench of the Bombay High Court comprising Justice S S Parkar and Justice V K Tahilramani made it clear that "no further extension shall be granted by this court."

Earlier, the Calcutta high court had refused his plea for extension of bail. Parekh initially obtained a bail from the 35th Metropolitan Magistrate, Mumbai, with the condition that he would appear before CMM Kolkata on or before December 20, 2002. On December 19, the Bombay high court extended bail till January 7, 2003, and then again to January 20, 2003.