The four accused, appearing before Special MCOCA Judge A S Bhaisare yesterday, alleged that they were mercilessly beaten and given third degree treatment by police, and hence they fear for their lives.
The four had been earlier arrested in an offence under sections 399 and 402 of the IPC by Manickpur police under the Vasai division.
They had been sent in police custody and later in judicial remand. On May 21, 2016, the police authorities approved to slap charges under MCOCA on them.
They were brought from the jail yesterday and produced in the court.
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After the four pleaded, the judge asked them to be seated for some time and later remanded them in police custody till August 8.
The police in its submission before the court justified the application of MCOCA on them and sought the custody of the four for interrogation.
According to police, there are about two dozen cases registered against the main accused, Rajesh Ghosh, and the others, Raj Dashrath Parida, Shafique Husen Sheikh and Sanjay Balram Singh, helped him in the crimes, and hence they were booked under MCOCA.