Police custody of Sushil extended
New Delhi, May 29: A Delhi court on Saturday extended by four days the police custody of Olympic wrestling medallist Sushil Kumar and Ajay Kumar Sehrawat, arrested in connection with the murder of a 23-year-old grappler, saying that no one is above the law.
Sushil and his associates allegedly assaulted Sagar Dhankar and two of his friends at Delhi’s Chhatrasal Stadium. Sagar succumbed to injuries later. Following Sushil and Ajay Kumar’s arrest, the court had remanded them in six days police custody on May 23.
On being produced before the court at the end of the remand period on Saturday, the Delhi Police moved an application seeking extension of custody by seven more days, stating that Sushil was the mastermind and several recoveries are yet to be made for which his interrogation is required.
Allowing their interrogation for only four days, Metropolitan Magistrate Mayank Goel said, “No one is above law and law treats everyone equally. Though the Constitution guarantees the right to life and liberty to all persons whether they are accused or not, but that right is also subject to certain exceptions.”
The allegations against the accused persons are very grave and serious in nature, the court said, emphasising on the importance of the initial days of investigation to unearth the truth. The judge said the involvement of a large number of persons, some of whom belong to some notorious gangs stationed in and outside Delhi, is also suspected and they are yet to be arrested .
“Moreover, certain recoveries i.e. mobile phone and clothes of accused persons are yet to be made. As such in the interest of justice I
deem it appropriate to allow the application of 10 to the extent of four days only,” the judge stated in the order.
During the course of the proceedings, Additional Public Prosecutor Ashish Kajal sought Sushil and Ajay’s custody to confront them with other arrested co-accused, and recover mobile phones, clothes the Olympian was wearing during the brawl, and DVR of the CCTV cameras installed at his house.
Further, the prosecutor, representing the Delhi Police, said that the investigating agency seized seven vehicles from the spot which were used in the commission of the crime but only four vehicles have been linked due to evasive and non-cooperation of Sushil and Ajay Kumar.
He said their custody is required to link the remaining three vehicles with their users, apprehend other accused, identify their hideouts at Haridwar, Rishikesh and Ghaziabad and apprehend the persons who provided them help to evade arrest.