Tihar jail authorities on Monday told a special court that sacked Delhi minister Sandeep Kumar, who was arrested on rape charges, was being provided with separate armed guard as he apprehended threat to his life. The jail authorities made the submission before special judge Poonam Chaudhry in response to Kumar’s application that he be provided with special separate van for attending the court proceedings on the given dates.

Meanwhile, for the first time, Kumar was produced before the court through video conferencing as his judicial custody was extended till October 28.

The court had on October 4 allowed Kumar’s plea moved through advocate Pradeep Rana that he be produced in court via video conferencing from jail for the time being following his apprehension of threat to life from his political opponents and other miscreants during transportation.

The court had said the AAP MLA be produced before the court through video conferencing till the filing of chargesheet in the case, as the police had not objected to it.

The Delhi police had earlier said the remand proceedings could be done through video conferencing as significant force was being deployed to produce the AAP MLA before the court. Mr Kumar was arrested on September 3.