New Delhi: A Delhi court today allowed the
police to quiz for two more days in its custody a key aide of
self-styled godman Shiv Murat Dwivedi for allegedly running an
organised sex racket in the national capital.
"Accused Praveen is remanded to police custody till
tomorrow," Additional Sessions Judge S K Sarvaria said.
Praveen, arrested on July 31 in a case lodged under
Maharashtra Control of Organised Crimes Act, was produced in
the court on the conclusion of his two-day custodial
interrogation.
"The accused is required to be confronted with the
entries in his diary. Moreover, the alleged bank lockers of
the accused are to searched to ascertain the magnitude of the
proceeds of the crime," the investigators said, seeking
extension of his custody.
The court allowed the plea and asked the police to get
the accused examined at a hospital.
Earlier, the police had said Praveen, along with Dwivedi
who is already in custody, was involved in the case.
Besides Dwivedi, alias Ichchadhari Sant Swami Bhimanand
Ji Maharaj Chitrakootwale, Praveen is the second accused who
was arrested under MCOCA.
A magisterial court had recently framed charges against
the self-styled godman and six others, including five alleged
call girls, in another case relating to running a sex racket
here. The case was lodged under the Immoral Traffic
(Prevention) Act.
Following a tip off, the alleged call girls were arrested
in February this year from a locality in South Delhi. Dwivedi
and Praveen were nabbed subsequently.
Police, which had earlier filed a chargesheet under
Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act against Dwivedi and others,
is yet to complete the probe in the case lodged under MCOCA.
The chargesheet alleged Dwivedi had amassed wealth
running into crores of rupees by running the flesh trade for
over a decade.
Police, at the instance of Dwivedi, have recovered
documents relating to properties, investments and bank
details, it said.
The chargesheet also alleged Rs 1.55 lakh in cash, gold
ornaments and VCDs were recovered from the car of Dwivedi
at the time of the raid on his premises on February 26.
-PTI
First Published: Tuesday, August 03, 2010, 21:13