Vishal Shah, a 20-year-old Sayreville man, stood silently as his attorney, entered a not guilty plea for him.
NEW BRUNSWICK -- A borough man pleaded not guilty Monday afternoon to murdering his father.
Vishal Shah, 20, stood silently in the jury box, dressed in a green jail jumpsuit, while his attorney, Jennifer Seletti, the head of the Middlesex County Office of the Public Defender, entered the not guilty plea for him before Superior Court Judge Dennis Nieves.
Shah is charged with shooting his father, Pradipkum Shah, 53, in their home on Friday at 9:43 a.m.
He is also charged with hindering his own apprehension by hiding the gun, a .25-caliber handgun, used in the shooting and unlawful possession of the weapon.
Middlesex County Prosecutor Andrew Carey said Pradipkum Shah was pronounced dead at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick Saturday at 6:25 a.m. and his son was charged with his murder on Sunday.
Carey said the handgun has since been recovered.
Judge Nieves continued Shah's bail at $1 million and remanded him to the Middlesex County jail where he has been held since his arrest Sunday.
The prosecutor did not reveal what the motive was behind the shooting and no indication of a motive was revealed in court.
None of Shah's family members were in court.
Sue Epstein may be reached at sepstein@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @susan_epstein. Find NJ.com on Facebook.