A local court today extended the police custody of eight accused, including three policemen, arrested in connection with the case of alleged rape and extortion filed by an upcoming model, till May 5.
The prosecution told the court that it is investigating if the accused were involved in other similar crimes.
The crime branch of the Mumbai Police has recovered Rs 3.75 lakhs out of Rs 4.35 lakhs that were allegedly extorted from the victim. It now wants to find out how the five other accused came in contact with the three policemen arrested in the case, said the public prosecutor.
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The defence pointed out that the incident happened on April 3 but the victim, after taking her lawyer's advice, submitted the complaint to the Chief Minister, the Police Commissioner and the State Human Rights Commission on April 7.
Further, the complainant had only alleged molestation and not rape, the defence said, opposing extension of custody.
The court, however, extended the police remand observing that further custodial interrogation was necessary.
Meanwhile, the police sources said that the investigators were likely to record the victim's statement before a magistrate soon.
Assistant police inspectors Sunil Khatpe (34) and Suresh Suryavanshi (36), constable Yogesh Konde (36), Javed Ibrahim Sheikh (35), Ibrahim Bismillah Khan (42), Tanveer Hashmi (34), Sanjay Ramaronge (34) and Asha Malviya (24) were arrested in the case on April 24.
The incident came to light after the victim sent an SMS to the Police Commissioner Rakesh Maria on April 21 complaining about her sexual exploitation by some men including the three policemen.
