New Delhi: A Delhi court on Tuesday extended by 15 days the interim bail of four out of the six arrested youths in connection with the death of NRI student Anmol Sarna, observing that even Investigating Officer of the case does not claim any incriminating material against them.
Additional Sessions Judge Rajender Kumar Shastri allowed Anmol`s friends, accused Madhav Bhandari, Pranil Shah, Shivank Gambhir and Ritham Girhotra, all in their 20s, to remain out of Tihar Jail by extending their interim bail till November 6.
The court`s order came on a request made by their counsel to extend the relief which was earlier granted on October 7.
Two security guards -- Surender Bali and Naresh Mishra -- arrested for allegedly assaulting Anmol leading to his death, are presently in judicial custody till October 28.
The four accused were supposed to surrender before the court today, as per its earlier direction.
Their plea for further extension of interim bail plea was allowed by the court which said the four accused are bound by its earlier terms and conditions imposed on them.
"...Results of viscera as well as blood and urine tests of the applicants (Anmol`s four accused friends) and deceased (Anmol) are still awaited. Even the IO (Investigating Officer) does not claim any further incriminating material against any applicants.
"IO is hopeful that reports will be ready in 15-20 more days. Considering all this, interim bail of the applicants is extended upto November 6, 2013 on same terms and conditions .. ..," the court said.
The court has also directed the four youths to furnish a personal bond of Rs one lakh each with one surety each in the like amount.
Anmol`s family members, who were also present there at the time of the order, expressed unhappiness over the court`s decision.
Anmol, who had completed his high school from New York, was to leave to Canada for further studies but died under mysterious circumstances after a drug party on the intervening night of September 13 and 14 organised at one of his friend`s flat at South Park Apartment in Kalkaji area here.
Police said the party lasted till midnight after which
Anmol was thrashed by the guards for creating a ruckus in the complex. At around 2 AM, Anmol was found bleeding in the apartment complex and later died at a hospital.
The court, earlier had directed the four to surrender their passport and also asked them not to leave the national capital "without prior informing to the court concerned". They will have to surrender on November 6.
The court has also declined the request of the counsel for Anmol that the interim bail should only be extended when they are produced before it and said "there is no reason to ask the applicants to first surrender and the seek extension of their bail".
The four had approached the sessions court seeking bail after the magisterial court had dismissed their applications, saying the probe is at an initial stage and the allegations against them are very serious in nature.
The family of Anmol had accused Delhi Police of shielding the four accused and framing two security guards in his murder and demanded the case be investigated by the Crime Branch. The Crime Branch had taken over the investigation of the case.
Nine persons have been arrested in connection with the case of murder and consumption of narcotics.
Initially, the police had arrested six persons, including the two guards who have been accused of the murder, whereas the four friends, have been booked under various provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.
Later, on September 20, the police had arrested three more persons for allegedly helping the NRI`s friends in procuring drugs consumed during the party night but they were also later granted bail.
