Court Denies Extended Custody in IPS Officer Bribery Case

A Rouse Avenue Court denied the CBI's plea for extended police custody of IPS officer Deepak Gahlawat, involved in an alleged bribery case linked to fake medicine. The court remanded Gahlawat to judicial custody till July 16, citing insufficient contradictory evidence for further interrogation.

In a significant development, a Rouse Avenue Court has rejected the Central Bureau of Investigation's (CBI) bid for additional police custody of Deepak Gahlawat, a 2012-batch Haryana cadre IPS officer. The officer faces charges in an alleged bribery case associated with a fake medicine racket. The court's decision came on Thursday, further extending Gahlawat's judicial custody till July 16.

Special Judge Sushant Changotra delivered the ruling after hearing extended arguments from both the prosecution and defense. He highlighted the CBI's failure to substantiate claims that warranted prolonged custodial interrogation, despite the agency's assertions of Gahlawat's involvement in complex financial transactions and influence peddling.

The court also scrutinized purported evidence connecting Gahlawat to suspicious financial activities and conversations with alleged co-conspirators, ultimately concluding that the CBI's request lacked sufficient grounds. The defense successfully challenged the agency's narrative, arguing that discrepancies, if any, in financial dealings did not justify extended custody.