Adris Kheyali makes bid for freedom after being charged over shooting death of ‘Afghan Ali’

A man accused of gunning down notorious underworld figure ‘Afghan Ali’ in a “targeted shooting” was linked to a former Comanchero boss, a court has heard.

A man accused of gunning down notorious underworld figure ‘Afghan Ali’ in a “targeted shooting” was linked to a former Comanchero boss, a court has heard.

Adris Kheyali, 23, is alleged to have shot Mohammed Keshtiar several times outside his apartment building on Almeida Crescent, in South Yarra just before midnight on August 4, 2023.

Mr Keshtiar, who had underworld links, was walking with another man when he was shot at from a car, with police alleging that Mr Kheyali was the triggerman.

Mr Kheyali applied for bail in the Supreme Court on Tuesday, where it was revealed he had alleged links to Tarek Zahed, a former sergeant-at-arms of the Comanchero bikie gang.

Psychologist Shagufta Riaz was called to give evidence about Kheyali’s mental health, telling the court he had revealed to her that he was “manhandled” by police when he was present at an incident where Zahed was arrested in Sydney in 2022.

In applying for bail, defence barrister Dermot Dann KC told the court that the prosecution case had “its problems” and his client maintained his innocence.

Adris Kheyali appeared at the Supreme Court on Tuesday. Picture: Jason Edwards

Mr Dann said his client denied wrongdoing and there was no forensic evidence or gun linking him to the shooting.

Bail conditions including electronic monitoring and a curfew were proposed in addition to an $800,000 surety offered by Mr Kheyali’s family.

The court heard Mr Kheyali’s wife lived in Afghanistan and had been in a coma since giving birth to their stillborn son in November.

Mr Dann told the court that Mr Kheyali was not a flight risk given he had travelled to and from the war-torn country several times since Mr Keshtiar’s death without issue.

Mr Dann said his client had been prohibited from leaving the country since September after he was bailed on unrelated charges for drug possession and driving disqualified.

The court heard Kheyali had contacted his local MP for help to leave the country to attend his son’s funeral and visit his son’s grave.

Notorious underworld figure ‘Afghan Ali’ was gunned down in 2023.

Opposing bail, Crown prosecutor Peter Pickering said Mr Kheyali posed a risk of further offending, contacting witnesses or fleeing Australia.

“The risk of reoffending in circumstances of a murder like this … is such that the court should find that no (bail) conditions would be sufficient,” he said.

Mr Pickering told the court the killing of Mr Keshtiar was a “targeted shooting”.

“This is not a crime of passion,” he said.

Mr Kheyali was wearing a fully black suit, including his tie, as he appeared in court with family including his mother, grandmother and uncle in attendance.

The court heard Mr Kheyali had left school in year 11 to work as a bricklayer, and was training to become a professional boxer.

Following rehabilitation from a serious car accident, he returned to the sport in 2023 where he won his first professional fight.

Justice Rita Incerti will hand down her judgment on Wednesday.