Deepak Bhardwaj murder: Accused refuse TIP, sent to 10-day police custody

Three men had allegedly murdered BSP leader Deepak Bhardwaj on Tuesday.

New Delhi: Three men who allegedly murdered BSP leader Deepak Bhardwaj on Tuesday refused to undergo test identification parade in a Delhi court and were sent to police custody for 10 days after the cops sought their remand to nab the main conspirator and recover weapons used in the crime.

The Delhi Police sought custody of the three accused -- Sunil Mann, Purushottam Rana and Amit -- for 10 days saying two of them were allegedly the shooters while one was driving the car in which the three had gone to the farmhouse to carry out the killing. According to the police Rana and Mann had allegedly shot dead 62-year-old Bhardwaj on March 26 in his farmhouse in south Delhi`s Rajokri area and Amit was allegedly driving the car used by the shooters. The police told the court that Rana, in his disclosure statement, has said that the main accused in this case is a "swamiji" and he is yet to be arrested. It said that they need to take the accused to Haridwar, Mathura and Jhajjar in Haryana to establish the chain of events which lead to the crime. Mann and Rana were arrested yesterday amid high drama when they had come to Patiala House Court complex to surrender. Metropolitan Magistrate Prashant Sharma remanded the three in police custody till April 12 saying "the IO concerned has moved application for grant of 10 says police custody remand of the accused persons so that various evidences could be collected viz arrest of main conspirator/kingpin. Also the police want to carry out "arrest of co-accused from their possible different hideouts, the recovery of weapon of offence, discovery of motive of the crime, recovery of the vehicle used in commission of crime in the related offence," the magistrate said. Earlier in the day, the police moved an application before MM Sharma seeking their TIP following which the court marked the application to Metropolitan Magistrate Jasjeet Kaur. MM Kaur asked the trio, who had their faces muffled, as to whether they were willing to undergo TIP but they refused claiming that police had already clicked their photographs. The court, however, told them, "You know that refusal to undergo TIP will go against you in the proceedings later on" but the three accused maintained their stand. During the arguments, police said that Rana had disclosed that the weapons used in the crime were procured by them from one Raju and the pistols were thrown in a canal. Rana has said that he can get the pistols recovered from the canal, the police said, adding that Mann had procured the weapons while Amit played an active role in the entire conspiracy which led to the crime. The entire conspiracy has to be established and the motive behind the murder is yet to be ascertained, it said, adding that the Sim cards, which were used by the accused, have been recovered. The police also told the court that the accused has said they had travelled to various cities in connection with the conspiracy. Advocate J P Singh, appearing for the three accused, said that taking custody of the accused is a legal right of the probe agency but the court should see whether they are seeking appropriate time for their custodial interrogation. Singh sought medical examination of the accused and permission to meet his clients every 12 hours during the investigation. Mann and Rana were arrested yesterday when they had come to Patiala House Court complex to surrender. Rana was apprehended by the police just before he was to enter the premises. Mann had managed to evade the waiting police and had entered a court room but the judge refused to hear the matter and handed him over to Delhi Police Crime Branch officials, who were present there. The magistrate was angry with the conduct of the persons who were accompanying Mann yesterday and had refused to hear the matter. The police had issued look out circulars against Rana and Sunil. Amit was detained by the police on March 31 and was formally arrested yesterday. Bhardwaj was the richest candidate in the last Lok Sabha elections with declared assets of over Rs 600 crore. A real estate tycoon, he also ran educational institutions. The police are also looking into the role of an insider who might have tipped off the killers about the movement of Bhardwaj and the topography of the farmhouse. Around 40 employees were inside the around 25 acre farmhouse at the time of the incident. However, the two Personal Security Officers of Bhardwaj were not with him or inside the farmhouse when he was shot. PTI