New Delhi [India], June 9 : Delhi's Patiala House Court on Friday extended the ED custody of Sanjay Prakash Rai 'Sherpuriya' for the next four days in connection with a money laundering case.
On Friday, he was produced after the expiration of seven days of remand which was granted to the Directorate of Enforcement (ED).
Special Judge Shailendra Malik extended the police custody of Sherpuriya after hearing the submission of counsel for ED and the accused.
ED sought an extension of remand for seven more days to conduct a further investigation relating to money received from a Dalmia Family Office Trust as a donation and money generated from the sale of property in Gujarat and to record statements of other persons.
Special Public Prosecutor (SPP) NK Matta submitted that the custody of the accused is required to examine and record statements of five more persons and verify details of property sold in Gujarat, as well as verify and examine the transactions of the Chandni Chowk jeweller. who is alleged to have assisted in the layering of the cash transactions.
"The interrogation revealed Rs 10 crore in cash had been laundered. This amount was initially pegged at Rs 6 crores. He deposited the amount in a bank account through some people," the SPP submitted.
Earlier, on June 2, the court had remanded the accused to ED custody for seven days.
He was produced through video conferencing (VC) in the last hearing.
The court also rejected Sherpuriya's request to allow him to issue a duplicate sim. "No duplicate sim to be issued as the sim number was under investigation. You take a new sim," the court said.
He was arrested by the ED after interrogation in Lucknow jail. Prior to his arrest by the ED, he was arrested by the UP Police.
In its last order, the court had noted that it was revealed in the FIR of UP police that the accused portrayed himself to be close to top politicians, and ministers in India and allegedly took Rs 6 crores as a donation from Dalmia Family Office Trust.
It was also submitted that the entry of the bank account has already been examined by the local police and the amount deposited in the account in question is a matter of record.
The counsel for the accused submitted that there was no real necessity for the ED to take the accused into police remand.
The SPP for ED had submitted that the investigation is open-ended and requires to be conducted for the purpose of confronting the Dalmia family trust, as they are already involved in the other two matters of ED.
He further submitted that there is also evidence as mentioned in the application that Rs 7 crores in cash was recovered from unknown sources and was deposited in different accounts by the said accused to launder the money.
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