Madurai, June 04: A judicial magistrate today extended the judicial remand of DMK leader M K Azhagiri, arrested in connection with the murder of former Tamil Nadu minister T Kiruttinan, till June 18, but did not pass any order on the petition seeking police custody of Azhagiri. Azhagiri was produced before the judicial magistrate Vanitha on expiry of his remand period. Several of his advocates and over 200 party volunteers were present in the court when he was produced.

When the petition by the police seeking custody of Azhagiri came up, the advocates for Azhagiri argued that the police had made enough investigation during the two-day inquiry and there was no need for further police custody.

They also argued that Azhagiri had been interrogated with 300 questions to which the DMK leader had denied all charges and had told the police they their was no link between the murder of Kiruttinan and himself.

The Assistant Public Prosecutor Rajini argued that police could not make a proper inquiry as an advocate of Azhagiri was present with him during the investigation.

Now that a sessions court had also allowed a revision petition of the police in the district court, seeking that they (police) be allowed to investigate Azhagiri without the presence of a lawyer, the DMK leader should be handed to police custody, she said.

Bureau Report