A Delhi court on Monday extended the police remand of Kobad Ghandy, a senior leader of the banned CPI (Maoist), by seven days to facilitate the investigating agency to gather evidence and unravel the designs of the extremist outfit.
In her order, Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Kaveri Baweja allowed 59-year-old Ghandy’s custodial interrogation till October 15.
The court allowed the police plea that more time was needed to extract details of electronic evidence, which was missing, like the hard disk of his laptop. The prosecution also submitted that certain raids had to be conducted at his instance.
Public Prosecutor Naveen Kumar pleaded with the court to extend the police custody of Ghandy by 10 days.
Vishal Gosain, appearing for the Maoist leader, opposed the extension of police remand on the ground that charges levelled against him in the FIR was a mere speculation.
Earlier, Ghandy was brought in a special bullet and mine- proof vehicle ‘Rakshak’ under stringent security after his name figured in the list of three top Maoist leaders whose release was sought by the banned outfit in exchange for Jharkhand police officer Francis Induwar, who was later beheaded by the Naxals.