Court extends AAP MLA Jarwal’s police custody by 4 days
New Delhi: A Delhi court on Thursday extended the police custody of Prakash Jarwal, AAP MLA from Deoli, and his aide Kapil Nagar, by four days and sent him to custodial
New Delhi: A Delhi court on Thursday extended the police custody of Prakash Jarwal, AAP MLA from Deoli, and his aide Kapil Nagar, by four days and sent him to custodial interrogation till May 18 after he was arrested on charges of extortion and abetment to suicide of a 52-year-old doctor last month, stating that custodial interrogation is necessary in the case.
In a statement issued earlier when police had booked Jarwal, he had said that he was innocent and that he had not he man for eight or 10 months. “I have proved myself innocent in the past and I will do so now too,” Jarwal had said.
Duty Metropolitan Magistrate Harshita Mishra said that a lot of investigation work still remains to be done and several material and facts are yet to be ferreted.
“……I find considerable merit in the submissions of the Investigating officer (IO). Despite, grant of 4 days police custody initially, a lot of investigative work still remains to be done and several material facts still need to be ferreted out. Recovery of mobile phone of the accused, Jarwal, which is very vital lead, is still to be affected and even the money trail is to be fully established.
“Confrontation of the accused persons with other aggrieved persons and Delhi Jal Board (DJB) officials is yet to be done,” the judge said.
The police had sought custody of six days contending that Jarwal is not co-operating in the investigation and have been evasive. The investigation officer, Kumar Rajeev, further submitted that a carefully drafted questionnaire had been given to the accused to get their response regarding the material facts of the case.
The police submitted that, however, the accused persons had doggedly failed to reply to them. The IO also told the court that several appalling facts have been revealed from the diary of the deceased which was recovered by the police. He said they have widened the scope of investigation.
However, countering these submissions, advocates BS Joon, Mohammad Irshad and Ravi Drall , for the accused, informed the court that the FIR has been registered with malice and political vendetta to tarnish the image of the accused. They said that allegations levelled against the duo are “false and fabricated”.
The court also said it cannot be “oblivious and unmindful of the fact that investigation is at a nascent stage and denying further police custody as sought, would tantamount to putting road blocks in the way of effective and expeditious investigation, which still has considerable way to go”.
“Court cannot, while adjudicating on a police custody application, adopt an entirely accused-centric approach, unmindful of the prevailing public and societal interest, which hangs in balance. Investigation has to proceed fairly and in an unimpeded and unhindered manner.
“In light of the above facts and circumstances, I am of the opinion that the police remand of four days is justified,” the court said.
Jarwal and Nagar were arrested by the Delhi police on Saturday after a court had issued non-bailable warrant against the duo. A case was registered against the two after the doctor’s son blamed them for his father’s death on April 18. The doctor also supplied water tankers to the Delhi Jal Board. The family had accused Jarwal of extortion, an allegation denied by the MLA.
