TOPSGRUP Ex-MD remanded to judicial custody

The former Managing Director M. Sasidharan of security services firm TOPSGRUP was on Friday remanded in judicial custody till December 22, by a special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) did not seek his further custody for interrogation after three-day custody granted by the court on Tuesday ended on Friday. On Tuesday, the ED had sought Sasidharan’s custody for ten days.

Sasidharan’s advocates made a plea on Friday for him to be allowed to have home food in prison. The court has called a report for the jail superintendent in this regard on 15 December. His advocates also made another application for a medical check-up to be conducted of Sasidharan at a private hospital at his own cost before he is admitted in prison. They told the court that he has had a mild heart attack in the past, his ECG is not normal and that he has been experiencing shivers.

The ED told the court that a report from the prison’s medical officer be called before accepting the plea. Special judge under the PMLA Prashant P. Rajvaidya noted that though the plea contains details of Sasidharan’s medical disabilities, no medical papers are produced. The court further said it is the duty of the jail authorities to take care of the health of the accused while he is in judicial custody.

Sasidharan is the second arrest in the 175 crore money laundering case concerning TOPSGRUP in which the first to be arrested was Shiv Sena spokesperson Pratap Sarnaik’s close associate Amit Chandole.