‘Worst Slumlord’ Fails to Appear

An arrest warrant was issued today for the reputed worst slumlord in Los Angeles after he failed to appear in court for a hearing at which he could be sentenced to up to nine months in jail. The warrant for Vijaynard Sharma, 40, was issued by Municipal Court Judge Veronica Simmons-McBeth, but will not go into effect until Thursday morning to give him a chance to surrender. Sharma, who City Atty. James K. Hahn has called “the worst slumlord in the city,” was supposed to have appeared in court for the conclusion of a probation violation hearing at which the judge could send him to county jail for an additional nine months.