The Rouse Avenue Court in New Delhi on Saturday extended the police custody of advocate Deepak Nanda alias Deepak Khatri by five days in a case registered under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), along with charges relating to illegal arms supply and extortion. The Delhi Police had sought an additional 10 days of custody after Khatri was produced before the court following the completion of his initial three-day remand.
Special Judge Anu Grover Baliga, after considering submissions from both sides and examining the case diary, allowed the investigating agency's request to the extent of five days. The court directed that Khatri undergo a medical examination every 24 hours, with the medical records to be placed before the court. It also permitted him to meet two of his counsels for one hour every 24 hours in the presence of the investigating officer.
The court further clarified that investigators must not question Khatri regarding privileged communications between him and his clients. It also directed that his interrogation be video-recorded. Police told the court that further custody was required to examine approximately 100 GB of data extracted from his mobile phone. The prosecution also informed the court that the Intelligence Bureau (IB) and National Investigation Agency (NIA) had interrogated him.
Khatri, who has been described as a member of the legal team of jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, was apprehended at the Indira Gandhi International Airport on August 25 and subsequently arrested by the Crime Branch. His counsel opposed the further custody application, raising concerns regarding the interrogation by other agencies and related aspects of the investigation.
The court also directed that if agencies such as the IB or NIA seek to question Khatri again, they must first obtain permission from the court. Earlier, on August 26, the court had granted Delhi Police three days of custodial interrogation, observing that custodial questioning was necessary in view of the seriousness of the allegations, national security concerns, the alleged criminal antecedents and the need to uncover the wider chain involved in the case.
