File photo of BSP MP Dhananjay Singh's wife Jagriti.
BSP MP Dhananjay Singh and his wife Jagriti, arrested in connection with the murder of their domestic help, were today remanded to two-day police custody by a Delhi court after police told a court in New Delhi that they have to confront them with recordings of CCTV footage regarding the identity of some unidentified persons seen in it.
Dhananjay, BSP MP from Jaunpur constituency in Uttar Pradesh, and Jagriti, a dental surgeon at the R M L Hospital in New Delhi, were produced before Metropolitan Magistrate Jasjeet Kaur after expiry of their judicial custody and the Delhi Police sought four days of police custody for interrogating them regarding the unidentified persons.
Dhananjay and Jagriti were arrested on November 5 in connection with the death of their 35-year-old domestic help Rakhi Bhadra, a resident of West Bengal.
Additional Public Prosecutor Mukul Kumar told the court that police custody is required to confront the two accused with the Digital Video Recordings (DVRs) of CCTV footage in order to ascertain the identity of certain unidentified persons figuring in it.
The prosecutor said the recordings pertains to 20 CCTV cameras installed at the 175, South Avenue residence, where the incident had taken place, and runs into about 2,000 hours.
The advocates, appearing for Dhananjay and Jagriti, opposed the police's plea saying they have already interrogated both the accused for five days in their custody and further custodial interrogation is not required.
Senior advocate Hariharan, who appeared for Dhananjay, argued his client was not residing at 175, South Avenue for the last two years and he was not even in Delhi between November 1-4, when the alleged incident took place.
The court, however, remanded both the accused to police custody till November 18, saying the police need to ascertain the identity of these unidentified persons figuring in the CCTV footage.
The police had earlier told the court that besides Rakhi, there were two more domestic helps, including a 17-year-old boy, employed at their 175, South Avenue residence in Chanakyapuri and they were also beaten up mercilessly by Jagriti, 29, and Dhananjay, 38.
One of the maids, Meena, was severely injured and was undergoing treatment at a hospital in New Delhi, it had said, adding that the domestic helps were beaten up by wooden sticks, iron rods and even metallic deer horns by the accused.
The minor boy was also produced in the court and he had shown the judge severe injuries inflicted on him.
Regarding Dhananjay, the police had said he tried to destroy the video recording of 20 CCTV cameras installed in his house after the incident.
The body of Rakhi, who had been working at the MP's house
For the past one year, bearing burn marks and injuries on the chest, stomach, arms and legs, was recovered from the lawmaker's residence at South Avenue in New Delhi in the evening of November 4 after Dhananjay informed the police.
Dhananjay, who already faces charges of murder, extortion and other offences under the Gangsters Act, was arrested for allegedly destroying evidence, not informing police about the maid's death immediately and employing a juvenile as domestic help.
Jagriti has been arrested under sections 302 (murder), 307 (attempt to murder), 344 (wrongful confinement) of Indian Penal code and Juvenile Justice Act.
The juvenile had told the police that Jagriti had been regularly beating up the three domestic helps, including Rakhi, on petty issues. Rakhi was brutally beaten on Diwali night and she succumbed to her injuries the next morning. Jagriti had called Dhananjay and informed him about the maid's death.
The police had said the CCTV cameras were installed in the MP's house to keep tabs on servants' movements and Jagriti controlled cameras through her mobile phone and TV set.