Court extends CBI custody of SP Vivek Dutt, 3 others

A Delhi court today extended by five more days the CBI custody of SP Vivek Dutt, a key member of the coalgate probe, and three others arrested for their alleged roles in a graft case.
Special CBI judge G P Singh allowed the central probe agency's plea seeking extension of their custody by five days, saying that the case has "wide ramifications".
"The case has wide ramifications. Accused were arrested on May 17, produced on May 18 and till date are in police custody. Further police custody remand is sought to unearth the entire conspiracy besides other grounds. Police custody remand of the arrayed accused is granted till May 27," the court said.

The four arrested accused -- Dutt, CBI inspector Rajesh Chandra Karnatak, alleged middleman Rajesh Pachisia and businessman Dinesh Chand Gupta -- were produced before the court after expiry of their one-day CBI custody.
Dutt, Karnatak and Pachisia are accused of taking a bribe of Rs seven lakh from Gupta to favour him in a land dispute case.
During the hearing, CBI sought extension of the custody saying they needed to take voice samples of the accused and they have to be confronted with the recorded conversations.

The agency said they have recovered some mobile phones from the accused and have sent them to a forensic lab and the report is expected today itself.

Advocate Sanjay Abbot, who appeared for Dutt, opposed the CBI's plea saying the probe agency has not given any valid ground for extension of custody.
He said Dutt does not want to give his voice sample to the probe agency and CBI cannot compel him for that. "I do not want to give my voice sample. They (CBI) cannot compel me," Abbot said on his behalf of his client.
Similarly, the counsel appearing for Pachisia and Gupta also said they were not willing to give voice samples to CBI.