New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Thursday allowed the Delhi Police's Crime Branch to interrogate extradited cricket bookie Sanjeev Chawla inside the Tihar Jail till February 28.
A single judge bench consisting Justice Anu Malhotra said that Chawla, who was extradited from the UK on February 13, will remain lodged in Tihar Jail during the trial and conviction, if any, in the case, as per the assurance given by the Indian government to the foreign authorities.
The court also said the interrogation will be allowed only till February 28, after which the period of 15 days of his arrest would come to an end. It said after this period, no further permission for interrogation of Chawla in relation to this case can be granted.
"Investigating agency in the matter is permitted to conduct the interrogation of the petitioner (Chawla) at the Tihar Jail complex only in terms of the timeline stipulated in terms of Section 167(2) of the CrPC," the court said in its 76-page judgment pronounced in the evening.
The bench also asked the Delhi Police to ensure that Chawla is treated with dignity during the course of the investigation and the interrogation.
The order came on Chawla's plea challenging his 12-day custodial remand in the case.
The court noted that Additional Solicitor General Sanjay Jain had submitted that Chawla will not be investigated or interrogated in relation to any offence other than that punishable under sections 420 (cheating)/120B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code.
"The investigating agency may utilise the technology of video conferencing as submitted by the ASG for conducting the investigation and interrogation to the extent as prayed in the application of the state dated February 13 submitted before the trial court. As regards any follow-up action required for the investigation and interrogation to the extent permitted hereinabove, the state may seek the permission of the trial court seized of the matter," it said.
On the other hand, Senior advocate Vikas Pahwa, who is representing Chawla, said that the probe agency has already investigated the offence of conspiracy against him.
Chawla is alleged to have played a central role in conspiring with former South African captain Hansir Cronje to fix South Africa’s tour of India in February-March 2000.
Cronje, who died in a plane crash in 2002, was also involved, police had told the court.
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