MUMBAI, June 12 -- The Bombay high court on Friday sought the National Investigation Agency (NIA)'s response to an appeal filed by Irfan Khan, a key accused in the 2022 murder of Amravati pharmacist Umesh Kolhe, challenging a trial court order refusing to drop charges against him.

A division bench of justices AS Gadkari and Kamal Khata issued notice to the federal agency and scheduled the matter for hearing after four weeks.

Kolhe, who owned a medical store in Amravati, was attacked and hacked to death on June 21, 2022, while returning home on his scooter. His son and daughter-in-law were travelling separately nearby but could not save him. According to NIA, the murder was linked to social media posts supporting former BJP spokesperson ...