Court extends police custody of Bishnoi by 3 days in extortion case

NEW DELHI: Delhi's Saket Court on Sunday extended the police custody remand of Lawrence Bishnoi for the next three days in an extortion case.

Delhi police crime branch sought the extension of remand of Lawrence Bishnoi to confront him with another accused Akshay alias Balaji in Ganganagar, Rajasthan.

Akshay allegedly provided arms and ammunition used to fire to threaten the victim in the present case.

Delhi police want to gather information regarding accused Kapil and how accused Lawrence Bishnoi was able to give direction to accused Akshay despite being in jail.

After considering the submissions of the Investigation Officer (IO), Duty Magistrate Magistrate (MM) Himanshu Tanwar extended the police custody remand of Lawrence Bishnoi for the next three days.

In view of the submissions in the application that detailed interrogation/confrontation is required for a meaningful conclusion of the investigation, three days PC Remand of the accused Lawrence Bishnoi is hereby granted, the Duty MM ordered on June 11.

Accused Lawrence Bishnoi be produced before the concerned Court/Duty Magistrate on June 14, 2023, the court directed.

The court remanded Sampat Nehra to judicial custody after nine days of police custody remand till June 25.

Advocate Vishal Chopra appeared on behalf of Lawrence Bishnoi and did not oppose the extension of remand.

The investigation officer (IO) produced Lawrence Bishnoi after 10 days of remand and sought four days' further extension on the ground that he is to be confronted with Akshay alias Balaji, to establish the source of weapon and money to purchase arms/ammunition, to unearth the chain of conspiracy in the present case and to establish the source of information regarding the complainant, and to apprehend other members of the nexus.

The application moved by the IO stated that Lawrence Bishnoi is required as one of the co-accused namely Akshay alias Balaji has been arrested in Sunder Nagar Gujarat in an NDPS case.

Delhi police said that accused Akshay had provided arms and ammunition in the present case and also facilitated the stay of accused Hiren and two Child CCLs (Child in Conflict with law) who were allegedly involved in the commission of the crime in the present case.

The IO further submitted that accused Lawrence Bishnoi gave directions to accused Akshay to execute the plan and to supply the arms to the above said accused persons.

It was also stated that one of the accused Kapil alias Nandu is outside India and he provided the information to the accused Lawrence Bishnoi for the purposes of the execution of the plan.

Delhi police said that further remand is required to gather information regarding accused Kapil and how accused Lawrence Bishnoi was able to give direction to accused Akshay despite being in Jail.

On June 2, the court remanded accused Sampat Nehra in nine days of custody of the Delhi police crime branch. His custody was sought to confront Lawrence Bishnoi who was already in the remand of the Crime Branch.

On June 1, the court granted ten days of custody of Lawrence Bishnoi to the Delhi police crime branch. This matter pertains to firing and extortion calls to an advocate in South East Delhi's Sunlight colony area.

Accused Sampat Nehra produced on Production warrants from Punjab. He was in judicial custody in FIR No. 309/22, Under Section 25 Arms Act, Police Station City Kharar, Punjab.

IO submitted that accused Sampat Nehra is to be confronted with co-accused Lawrence Bishnoi and to identify the source of weapons which were used in the commission of the offense, to unearth the source of money used by the gang in the commission of offenses at various places at Rajasthan, Punjab, and Haryana to unearth the names of other gang members, modus operandi and for sustained interrogation.

Initially, the FIR was lodged at the police station Sunlight Colony.

Thereafter, the case was transferred to the Crime branch. This case was registered on the basis of the complaint of advocate Ramandeep Singh on April 24. Lawrence was arrested on May 31 in this case.

The court also granted Counsel for the accused liberty to talk to the accused for five to 10 minutes every day and via audio/ video call and physically accused for every 30 minutes every alternate day during the entire period of Police Custody Remand subject to the convenience of IO after giving written intimation to IO at least 24 hours prior to the proposed time of the meeting.

The court also directed the Chief Medical Officer (CMO), of Safdarjung Hospital to provide necessary assistance to facilitate medical examination/ checkup of the accused at the office of the Crime Branch in view of the high risk.

Complainant Ramandeep Singh has alleged that he on the night of 23-24 March received a call from an unknown international number.

The caller had demanded Rs. One crore. After some time he received multiple calls from an international number and threat to his and his family's life. Meanwhile, on June 9, a special NIA court directed to remand Lawrence Bishnoi to Bathinda Jail, Punjab where he was lodged earlier.

An application was moved by the Superintendent of Mandoli Jail seeking a transfer of Bishnoi to Bathinda Jail. He was produced in Patiala House Court on a production warrant. Lawrence Bishnoi is to be transferred to Bathinda Jail after the Delhi Police remand ends.