Explosives haul: NIA court extends custody of accused

The Asian Age.

Metros, Mumbai

Accused Sujit Kumar, who is also an accused in the Gauri Lankesh murder case, alleged that ATS officers stripped him naked and beat him.

Gauri Lankesh

Mumbai: Special NIA court on Monday extended police custody of four accused arrested in connection with Nalasopara Explosives haul case till September 25. Accused Sujit Kumar, who is also an accused in the Gauri Lankesh murder case, alleged that ATS officers stripped him naked and beat him.

Accused Vasudev Suryavanshi, an automobile mechanic and Liladhar Lodhi, agent of a grocery market was arrested on Saturday from Jalna district.

The ATS counsel argued that accused Vijay Lodhi and Vasudev Suryavanshi are not supporting the investigation. He argued that Central Forensic Science Laboratory  (CFSL) report of explosives is yet to be received and call detail record (CDR) record of mobile phone shows that during Sunburn festival and Padmavat movies both the accused were in constant touch with each other.

He also informed the court that on September 14 they were taken to Beed district where panchnama was drawn but when accused were brought to Dharvad and Kolhapur they failed to show us the exact spot from where they had stolen bikes for the crime.

The ATS told the court that for the investigation they have completed 2,500 km travelling. It also informed that mirror image of mobile and pen-drive have been received and for further investigation accused’s custody is necessary.

Subsequently another accused Sujit Kumar and Bharat Kurne, accused in Gauri Lankesh case were also presented in the NIA court. Mr Kumar told the court that ATS officers had beaten him up with belt, despite of having back pain. The court then sent him for a medical checkup and after going through the reports, the four accused were sent to police custody.

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