A Delhi Court Friday dismissed the interim bail plea of AAP legislator Prakash Jarwal, arrested in connection with a case of alleged suicide of a doctor in south Delhi in April, sought on account of the demise of his father-in-law who was suspected to be Covid-19 positive.
Additional Sessions Judge Sanjeev Aggarwal said that the chances of the accused influencing the witnesses cannot be ruled out.
The court said the body of Jarwal's father-in-law has already been handed over to the kin of the deceased for cremation today.
It noted however that the accused suspected his wife and infant son to be suffering from Covid-19 and were under self-quarantine.
"In any case, in these peculiar circumstances, when the family of the accused is under the shadow of Covid-19 and is under quarantine and his father-in-law had also suspected to have died from Covid-19 and the fact that the investigations are still in progress, in these circumstances if the accused is released on interim bail, considering the dominant position of the accused, who is stated to be resident of the same locality as also the local MLA, therefore chances of the accused influencing the witnesses cannot be ruled out."
"Therefore, no ground for interim bail is made out at this stage. The application stands dismissed," the judge said.
Rajendra Singh, 52, allegedly committed suicide in Durga Vihar in south Delhi on April 18. In his suicide note, the doctor held Jarwal responsible for his death.
"The father-in-law of the accused had some breathing problem since last two days consequently he was admitted in hospital... He expired in LNJP hospital where he was under treatment. He was suspected with Covid-19 virus and his samples has been taken by LNJP hospital doctors," the bail application said.
The plea, seeking interim bail for 45 days, further said that Jarwal's wife and son, 11-month old, were also residing with her father for last several days.
"There is apprehension that the wife and the child of the accused are also suffering from Covid- 19," the application said, adding that both of them are currently in quarantine.
"As per Hindu rites the presence of accused is must at time of cremation of his father-in-law," the plea said.
"The presence of the accused is must at his home to look after his 11 months old baby, his wife and his parents who are senior citizens..," it added, seeking bail on "humanitarian ground".
The investigating officer opposed the contents of the bail application, stating that the accused was residing in a joint family having two brothers, who can look after his parents, as also his in-laws who were also residing in the same locality.
"His brother-in-law can perform all the rights and rituals related to the death of his father-in-law," the police said, seeking dismissal of the application.
The public prosecutor said that the allegations against the accused were serious in nature.
"The investigation is at a crucial stage and if granted the relief, the accused may likely to hamper the probe," the prosecution said.
The court had on May 28 denied him bail, saying probe was at a crucial stage and that the accused was an influential person and could hamper the ongoing probe.
According to police, like Jarwal, deceased Singh was also involved in the business of water supply with the Delhi Jal Board since 2007. It alleged that the MLA and his associates were extorting money from other water-tanker owners, including the doctor.
Jarwal, who represents the Deoli assembly constituency, was arrested on May 9, after a case of extortion and abetment to suicide was filed against him and others based on a police complaint by the doctor's son -- Hemant.
The FIR said Singh had been threatened and intimidated by Jarwal and others.
"During investigation it was found that there was a big nexus between water-tanker owners and the accused person," the police had said in the remand application.
Police said the investigation showed the money extorted from water-tanker owners was routed through the MLA's brother Anil Jarwal and invested in several properties and farm-houses in Delhi, Gurugram (Haryana) and Jaipur (Rajasthan).
They also claimed that Jarwal had got allotted many water borewells in his constituency by influencing the Jal Board and one water borewell was illegally given after taking Rs 10 lakh as "gratification money".
Police said complaints against the accused were filed to various authorities but action was never taken.
They said they have found a WhatsApp group in the name of tanker-owners whose administrator is Kapil Nagar, a co-accused and Jarwal's close aide. Jarwal is one of its members.
The chat details clearly show the direct involvement of both the accused in running the tanker mafia in Sangam Vihar and Tigri.
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