Delhi's ex-legislator Shokeen denied anticipatory bail

A court here has rejected the anticipatory bail plea of former Delhi legislator Rambeer Shokeen, who is on the run after being accused of running a crime syndicate with alleged gangster Neeraj Bawana.

Additional Sessions Judge Rakesh Pandit dismissed Shokeen's anticipatory bail plea, observing that he was harbouring other co-accused in the case and played an active role in the syndicate run by Bawana.

Shokeen was declared a proclaimed offender by the court on August 26, 2015.

Police, while opposing his bail plea, told the court that Shokeen was the political face of a crime syndicate involved in extortion and murder.

Shokeen's defence counsel, however, told the court that there was no admissible evidence against his client in the charge sheet.

The court heard the case on Wednesday, but the order was made available to the media on Thursday.

Police charge-sheeted Shokeen, Bawana and eight others under the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) in September 2015.

The court currently is hearing arguments on framing of charges.