Terming the allegations against Delhi's former law minister Jitender Singh Tomar in the fake degree case "serious" in nature as he is a legislator, a court here on Monday dismissed his bail application and sent him to 14 days' judicial custody.
Dismissing the plea, Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Tarun Yogesh extended Tomar's judicial custody till July 6, asking him: "...till when will you fool us."
"As a general citizen, till when will you fool us? You can't forge a document or affidavit... Till when will the people be taken for a ride? We exercise our vote to elect our representative but what do we get," wondered the magistrate.
The court said it was amazed how legislators using fake documents can fool the common people and opined that the Supreme Court was right in introducing None Of The Above (NOTA) option in the voting system.
"The Supreme Court has done a right thing by making a provision of NOTA option. As a simple voter, I get immense satisfaction by pressing this button on the EVM," said the magistrate.
Tomar had sought bail on the ground that he has to attend Delhi's assembly sessions commencing from Tuesday.
The court, while refusing bail to Tomar, said it considered "the gravity of allegation against him as a public representative being an elected MLA, who is accused for using alleged false document for getting enrolled as an advocate".
"Considering the stage of investigation, use of fake law degree and document for getting enrolled as an advocate with Bar Council of Delhi, coupled with the fact that offence under section 120-B (criminal conspiracy) IPC is involved in the case and co-accused/accomplice who might have facilitated the commission of crime are yet to be apprehended, I am not inclined to admit the accused Jitender Singh Tomar to bail," the magistrate said in his order.
Delhi Police opposed the bail plea, with Public Prosecutor Atul Shrivastava contending that the accused is an influential person and might tamper with the evidence in case he is released.
Tomar's counsel and senior advocate Ramesh Gupta, however, said the case is based on documentary evidence, and hence there is no possibility of influencing witnesses as well as investigation.
He contended that Tomar has become a victim of the tussle between the central and state governments.
Tomar was in police custody for the past 12 days after he was arrested on June 9. Police have slapped a case of cheating, forgery and conspiracy against him. Sent to a day's judicial custody on Sunday, he was presented before the court after its expiry.
