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The Rouse Avenue court on Tuesday remanded Rajeev Rangeela to judicial custody for 14 days. He was produced before the court after 4 days of Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) custody. He has been arrested in an alleged DGHS Medical Procurement scam worth Rs. 700 crores.
Special Judge (ACB) Vidya Prakash remanded Rajeev Arora alias Rajiv Rangeela to 14 days of judicial custody. He will be produced before the court after the expiry of judicial custody on October 13. Senior Public Prosecutor Kumar Sanjay, along with Investigation Officer (IO) Dharmendra, appeared for ACB. ACB moved an application seeking 14 days' judicial custody of Rajiv Rangeela. Advocate Vikram Singh Pawar appeared for Rangeela and did not oppose the application for judicial custody moved by the IO. Earlier, on September 25, Rajeev Kumar alias Rajeev Arora alias Rajiv Rangeela was sent in 4 days' custody of the Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) by the court. Rangeela is the alleged mastermind, and he had fled to the USA and was evading his arrest. He was arrested after he returned to India. A Look Out Circular (LOC) and Non-Bailable Warrant (NBW) were issued against him. The process of proclamation was also executed by the ACB. The court had said that the allegations against the accused and the grounds mentioned provided justification for seeking police custody remand of the present accused. "The Court is satisfied that the arrest of the present accused is justified in the present matter, as also that there are sufficient grounds to allow the request for grant of police custody remand of 4 days, of accused Rajeev Kumar alias Rajiv Arora alias Rajiv Rangeela," Special Judge said in the order of September 25. The court had noted that the custody was sought to aid investigation for various purposes, to ascertain the modus operandi used in the commission of offences involved in this case; to identify and establish the identity of other public servants, private persons, manufacturers, distributors, intermediaries, entities etc. involved in the commission of crime; to make an attempt to identify and recover documentary, electronic evidence; and also to recover relevant missing files related to tenders in question, etc. The complaint made by Deputy Director Vigilance has mentioned instances of irregularity in procurement of medical instruments such as CR Radio, anaesthesia machine, special equipment and oral de-hydration solution. It is further alleged that while using such modus operandi, the present accused allegedly got the order for supply of 448 portable X-ray machines, whereas the initial tender was only for 02 machines. While seeking 4 days' custody of Rangeela, Senior Public Prosecutor (SPP) Kumar Sanjay had submitted that the accused, who is one of the conspirators in this case, was absconding initially and thus, apart from issuance of Look Out Circular (LOC), NBW followed by proclamation were issued against him in this case. He had contended that police custody of the present accused is required to establish his role in the procurement conspiracy, the modus operandi used in the commission of offences involved in this case, to identify the role of other persons involved in the matter, to establish the complete money trail, and to make efforts to identify and recover evidence. On the other hand, Advocate Vikram Singh Panwar, the Counsel for the accused, had opposed the prayer for custody on the ground that the investigation has almost been completed by the Investigating Agency, and a chargesheet against three other accused has already been filed in this matter. He had further contended that the charge sheet, having already been filed, would show that most of the evidence, be it oral or documentary, has already been collected in this matter and therefore, the request of the Investigating Agency for grant of 4 days' police custody remand of the present accused is not only highly unreasonable, but also does not stand justified by the Investigating Agency. (ANI)
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