Court asks ED to respond to Verma's plea for release from JC

Verma and his Romanian wife Anca Maria Neascu today filed separate applications before Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (ACMM) Gautam Manan seeking their release on the ground that "continuity of the custody has been broken" by the ED as their judicial custody was "not extended" yesterday.

"An application was moved by the ED for judicial custody before this court on which this court, without passing any speaking order on grant of further custody, was pleased to issue production warrants of the applicant.

"As the judicial custody of the applicant has not been extended by this court, his judicial custody is illegal and the applicant cannot be kept in judicial custody in the present case," said Verma, in his application filed through lawyer Vijay Aggarwal.

The ACMM issued notice to the ED seeking its response by September 17 on the couple's plea.

The couple, in their applications, said they are "not in custody" in this case and granting their fresh custody will "tantamount to fresh arrest" and will lead to "severe agony and injustice" to them.

The court had yesterday issued production warrants against both the accused for September 17 after they failed to appear before it as they are in CBI's custody in connection with a case lodged under the Official Secrets Act.

The ED had registered a money laundering case against the couple for allegedly receiving money from a Swiss arms-dealing firm to keep it out of the Indian government's blacklist.