Kanjhawala death case: Delhi Court grants 3 days police custody of accused Ashutosh

New Delhi [India], January 6 (ANI): Delhi’s Rohini Court on Friday remanded Ashutosh Bhardwaj, accused in the Kanjhawala hit-and-drag death case to three days of police custody.

Delhi Police sought remand to establish his presence in the car at the time of the incident. It is suspected that Ashutosh was in the car but he planted other accused Deepak as the driver. Police said that Ashutosh destroyed the evidence. Police said that custodial interrogation was required as one of the accused Ankush still absconded.

Metropolitan magistrate Sanya Dalal granted 3 days of police custody of accused Ashutosh Bhardwaj after hearing the submission of Delhi police and legal aid counsel Shivani Sharma.

Ashutosh was produced physically before the court after he was arrest was made in the matter on Friday.

Investigation officer (IO) submitted before the court that the accused destroyed the evidence. He is suspected to plant Deepak Khanna in the matter as accused.
IO also submitted that in the CCTV footage, five people are seen in the car at the time of the incident. The footage is not clear. His identity is to be established through CDR, said the IO.

The court also asked if the CDR had been preserved to which the IO replied that it was in process.

The Assistant Commissioner of Police, present during the hearing, submitted that Ashutosh Bhardwaj is a person who allegedly planted Deepak. “He can do anything to shield himself,” the ACP told the court.

The court said that section 182 of CrPC is also attracted for giving false information against him.

The IO submitted that one of the accused Ankush is absconding. He had conversations on phone with other accused persons. He called them and arranged an autorickshaw for them to abscond after the incident.

The public prosecutor for the Delhi Police submitted that five days of police custody was required as there are many linkages, all evidence was to be verified and established and Ashutosh Bhardwaj’s presence in the car is to be established.

The court on Thursday extended the police custody of five accused persons viz Manoj Mittal, Deepak Khanna, Amit Khanna, Krishan and Mithun for further four days.

The accused were produced through video conferencing from the court’s lockup after three days of police custody. They were arrested on January 1.

In the horrific incident in Delhi’s Khanjawala on New Year’s night a 20-year-old woman died after being dragged for several kilometres by a car that hit her scooter. Delhi Police arrested the sixth accused Ashutosh on Friday.