A Delhi court on Thursday extended till May 18 the police custody of AAP MLA Prakash Jarwal, arrested in connection with a case of alleged suicide of a doctor in south Delhi last month.
The 52-year-old doctor, Rajendra Singh had allegedly committed suicide in Durga Vihar in south Delhi on April 18.
Jarwal, who represents Deoli assembly constituency and his close aide Kapil Nagar, were arrested on May 9.
In his suicide note, the victim had held Jarwal responsible for taking the extreme step, following which police registered a case against the legislator on charges of extortion and abetment to suicide.
Singh was also involved in the business of water tank like Jarwal and it is alleged that the MLA and his associates were extorting money from other water tank owners.
Metropolitan Magistrate Harshita Mishra allowed the police plea for custodial interrogation of Jarwal and co-accused Nagar, saying despite grant of four days police custody initially a lot of investigative work remained to be done and several material facts still needed to be ferreted out.
"Recovery of mobile phone of accused Prakash, which is a very vital lead, is still to be effected and even the money trail is to be fully established.This court cannot be oblivious to and unmindful of the act that investigation is at the nascent stage and denying further police remand as sought, would tantamount to putting roadblocks in the way of effective and expeditious investigation, which still has considerable way to go," the court said in its order.
The court, however, added that it cannot while adjubicating on a police custody application, adopt an entirely accused centric approach, "unmindful of the prevailing public and societal interests, which hangs in balance."