Delhi court remands Lawrence Bishnoi to judicial custody in extortion case

Delhi police said that it want to gather information regarding accused Kapil alias Nandu and as to how accused Lawrence Bishnoi was able to give direction to accused Akshay despite being in Jail.

New Delhi: Delhi's Saket Court on Wednesday remanded Lawrence Bishnoi to judicial custody in an extortion case. He was produced before the court after the expiry of three days of police custody. Duty Metropolitan Magistrate at Saket remanded Lawrence Bishnoi to judicial custody after the expiry of the police remand. He was under police remand of the Delhi police crime branch since June 1.

Delhi police moved an application seeking judicial custody of Lawrence Bishnoi after interrogation. On June 11, the 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 said that it want to gather information regarding accused Kapil alias Nandu and as to how accused Lawrence Bishnoi was able to give direction to accused Akshay despite being in Jail. On the last date, 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.

Earlier, Lawrence Bishnoi was remanded for a 10-day police remand. Thereafter police sought four days further extension of remand 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.

IO had stated that Lawrence Bishnoi must be interrogated as one of the co-accused, Akshay alias Balaji, has been arrested in Sunder Nagar Gujarat in an NDPS case. Delhi police said, "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 the 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 provided the information to the accused Lawrence Bishnoi for the purposes of the execution of the plan. Delhi police said, "Further remand is required to gather information regarding accused Kapil and as to 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-day 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-day 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, under sections 25 Arms Act, Police Station City Kharar, Punjab. IO submitted that accused Sampat Nehra is to be for confronted with co-accused Lawrence Bishnoi and to identify the source of weapons which were used in the commission of the offence, to unearth the source of money used by the gang in the commission of offences 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. After that, 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 had 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 atleast 24 hours prior to the proposed time of the meeting.

The court also directed the 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 March 23-24, received a call from an unknown international number. The caller had demanded One crore. After some time he recieved multiple calls from an international number and a 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.