Mumbai Designer Sent To 4-Day Police Custody Till March 21 In Bribery Case Filed By Amruta Fadnavis — Details

A Mumbai court has sent designer Aniksha Jaisinghani to police custody for four days till March 21 in connection with a bribery case that was registered against her by Amruta Fadnavis.

Police personnel taking accused designer Anishka Jaisinghani after the court granted her custody to police

Source : PTI

New Delhi: A Mumbai court on Friday sent designer Aniksha Jaisinghani to police custody for four days till March 21 in connection with a bribery case. The case was registered against her by Maharashtra Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis’ wife, Amruta Fadnavis after which the police arrested the designer on Thursday from her house in Ulhasnagar, Thane. 

Amruta Fadnavis had lodged an FIR against designer Aniksha Jaisinghani at Malabar Hill Police Station accusing the latter of threatening her and offering bribery to settle a case against her father. Based on the complaint, Mumbai's Malabar Hill Police registered a case against designer Aniksha and her father under Section 120(B) of the IPC and Sections 8 and 12 of the Prevention of Corruption Act. 

ACP rank officers are probing the matter after deputy CM Fadnavis said in the assembly that appropriate action will be taken on the FIR. 

Accused Aniksha was presented in the sessions court on Friday wherein police sought her 7-day custody for further inquiry. 

Mumbai Police argued in the court that the husband of the complainant is a public servant and hence a case has been registered under sections 8, and 12 of prevention of corruption and under sections 120 B and 385 of IPC. 

The police said that the accused designer Aniksha had earlier offered Rs 1 crore bribe to settle the betting case against her father Anil Jaisinghani. They added that Aniksha told Amrita Fadnavis that her father used to give information about bookies to the police and he used to get money. 

Amruta Fadnavis suspected that a conspiracy was being hatched against her, after which she blocked Aniksha's number. 

However, Amruta said that she received 22 videos, 3 voice notes, screenshots and 40 such messages from an unknown mobile number 93xxxxxxxx between 11.50 pm on 18th February to 12.05 am on 19th February. When the number was checked, it was found to be of Aniksha’s father, Anil Jaisinghani. 

The Mumbai Police told the court that after sending a total of 40 messages including videos, voice notes, and screenshots, a demand of ten crores rupees was made for deleting them.  

They added that all these messages, photos and videos have been sent for forensic examination. But the police have not been able to recover the mobile from which Anil Jaisinghani sent these messages. 

Police said that during the Panchnama, 7 mobiles, 1 dongle, 7 chequebooks and SIM cards were found at the house of the accused. Police told the court that the 17 cases are registered in different states of the country against the accused's father Anil Jaisanghani. According to the police, Aniksha is in touch with her absconding father. 

Court asked the police on what basis they want Aniksha’s 7-day custody. To this, the police said that after deleting 22 videos, a demand of Rs 10 crore was made and Rs 1 crore bribe was offered. Police said that several cases are registered against Anil Jaisinghani, and he has been declared a fugitive by the court in seven cases.  

Police further added that the case revealed that Aniksha was in touch with her fugitive father. Police said that any political connection in the case needs to be probed and that was why they asked for seven days of police remand to investigate everything. 

Arguing for Aniksha, the defence lawyer said that out of 17 cases registered against Anil Jaisinghani, 13 have been settled and that Aniksha is not an accused in any of these cases. 

The lawyer claimed that the legal process for arrest was not completed, and her client was arrested suddenly. He said a Notice under 41A was not given. 

Aniksha said through her lawyer that she was a student of law, and her examinations were going on. She urged the court to send her to police remand for a lesser number of days. 

After hearing both sides, the Anti-Corruption Court of Sessions sent accused Aniksha Jaisinghani to police custody for 4 days till March 21.