NEWDELHI: Sushil Sharma, the prime suspect in the tandoor murder case, was remanded to 10 days’ police custody by the Metropol tan Magistrate, Dharamraj Singh, here on July 12.
Brought to the Patiala House courts by the Connaught Place SHO, Niranjan Singh, and other policemen in a police Gypsy, a handcuffed Sharma was produced in Roon No. 32 around 3 p.m. amidst unprecedented security. His arrival in the court, with handcuffs. on, had his counsel Rohit Minocha protesting loudly, The handcuffs ‘were hastily removed by the policemen on the orders of the Magistrate.
Much before Sharma arrived, a battery of lawyers, curious onlookers and the press corps had filed inside the courtroom to catch a glimpse of the former youth Congress leader and witness proceedings of a case which stunned an entire nation. Also present were the senior prosecutor for the State, K.D. Bhardwaj, the Assistant Public Prosecutor, Raman Kumar, end the defense counsel Minocha.
At the end of the deliberations which lasted 45 minutes and it had its share of high drama the Magistrate, conceding the prosecution’s demand, remanded Sharma to police custody till July 22.
Brushing aside the prosecution’s objections, he also permitted the defense counsel to witness ‘Sharma’s interrogation by the police, but only “from a reasonable distance,” or more explicitly, “from: outside the interrogation chambar,” The accused may be interrogated within the visibility of his lawyer,” Singh stated in his order.
However, the Manette disallowed Minocha’s plea to interview Sharma for at least five minutes at the end of the day. “It is the Constitutional right of the accused to be heard by his counsel at the end of the day’s interrogations,” argued the defense counsel. Rejecting this request, Singh noted: “It is further clarified that he may be allowed to be present.
Article extracted from this publication >> July 21, 1995
