Court extends CBI custody of SP Vivek Dutt, 3 others by a day

A Delhi court today granted CBI one more day's custody of its arrested SP Vivek Dutt, who was a key member of the Coalgate scam probe, and three others in connection with a corruption case lodged against them.
The court extended the CBI custody by a day and pulled up the Investigating Officer (IO) for not producing the accused before it within time.
Special CBI Judge G P Singh directed the IO to appear before him tomorrow at 10 am along with the entire case diary and the CD as well as transcripts of the recorded conversations between the accused persons.

"Let the IO appear with the entire case diary and the CD of the recorded conversation, the transcripts and the case property at 10 am on May 22 and till then the police custody of the accused is extended," the judge said.
The court criticised the IO saying why the accused persons were produced before it at 4.30 pm, when the court had on May 18 directed CBI to bring them from its custody at 2.30 pm.
".... Officer of the premier investigating agency should act in a disciplined manner and produce the accused well within time," the judge said and added the explanation given by the IO regarding the delay "lacks substance".

CBI produced the accused before the court and sought extension of their custody by five days saying they need to confront them with the recorded conversations as the probe in the case is still at an initial stage.
The lawyers for the accused opposed CBI's plea saying the agency has not produced any evidence or has not given any concrete ground for extension of custody.
Dutt, CBI inspector Rajesh Chandra Karnatak and alleged middleman Rajesh Pachisia are accused of taking a bribe of Rs seven lakh from businessman Dinesh Chand Gupta to favour him in a land dispute case.