NEW DELHI, Feb 22:
A Delhi court today dismissed the bail plea of BSP MP Dhananjay Singh, who along with his wife Jagriti Singh was charge sheeted in connection with the murder of their maid, saying he can influence the witnesses.
Additional Sessions Judge Lokesh Kumar Sharma rejected the plea of Dhananjay, a sitting BSP MP from Jaunpur constituency of Uttar Pradesh, on the ground that he is an influential person and can influence the witnesses in the case, if released on bail.
The Delhi Police said it would file a supplementary charge sheet in the case giving viscera report of the deceased and some other forensic evidence in the case.
The court, which was today scheduled to commence hearing arguments on framing of charges against Dhananjay and Jagriti, fixed the matter for March 21 after the defence counsel said they will advance arguments after going through the supplementary charge sheet.
Advocate S P M Tripathi, who appeared for Dhananjay, had sought bail for his client, saying the charge sheet has already been filed in the case and the probe was also complete so there was no need to keep the MP in custody.
His bail plea, however, was opposed by the police which had said the court is yet to frame charges against him and, if released, he can influence the witnesses, including the victim, and can tamper with the evidence.
Jagriti was charge sheeted for various offences under IPC, including sections 302 (murder), 307 (attempt to murder), 344 (wrongfully confining for 10 or more days), 506 (criminal intimidation) and 201 (destruction of evidence).
Dhananjay was charge sheeted for various offences under IPC, including alleged destruction the evidence and abetment of the offence of murder and attempt to murder.
The couple were arrested on November 5, last year in connection with the death of their 35-year-old maid Rakhi Bhadra, a resident of West Bengal.
Dhananjay and Jagriti, a dental surgeon at a Government hospital here, are lodged in jail under judicial custody.
The police, in its first charge sheet, alleged that Jagriti used to “merciless beat” her three domestic helps and “compelled” them to work by holding them captive.
It has alleged the servants were not allowed to go out of the 175, South Avenue house where the incident took place. The police have also claimed that Dhananjay and his wife might have “tampered” with the data of the CCTV cameras installed in the house.
Rakhi’s body, with injury marks on her legs, chest and arms, was recovered from Dhananjay’s South Avenue residence on the evening of November 4, last year.
Earlier, the police had charge sheeted Dhananjay in a separate case for allegedly repeatedly raping a 42-year-old railway employee for nearly four years. (PTI)
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