Amruta Fadnavis threat case: Anil Jaisinghani sent in police custody; he says police `want to please people in Mantralaya'

Anil Jaisinghani, arrested in a case related to alleged attempt to blackmail and bribe Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnaviss wife Amruta, claimed before a court here on Tuesday that he was arrested because police wanted to please those in power.Held in Gujarat a day before after being on the run for several years, Anil Jaisinghani was produced before additional sessions judge A D Almale who sent him in police custody till March 27.

Anil Jaisinghani, arrested in a case related to alleged attempt to blackmail and bribe Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis's wife Amruta, claimed before a court here on Tuesday that he was arrested because police wanted to please those in power.

Held in Gujarat a day before after being on the run for several years, Anil Jaisinghani was produced before additional sessions judge A D Almale who sent him in police custody till March 27. The police remand of his daughter, designer Aniksha, was extended till March 24. Besides the father-daughter duo, police have also arrested their relative Nirmal Jaisinghnia. He too has been remanded to police custody till March 27. Defence lawyers Mrigendra Singh and Manan Sanghai, while opposing extension of Aniksha's remand, argued that her only fault was that she was a fashion designer of ''Mrs So and So'' (referring to Amruta Fadnavis).

When Aniksha's father (Anil) was allegedly absconding, ''Mrs So and So'' did not mind taking photos with her in public places, her lawyers said.

“They are deliberately harassing me at the behest of people sitting in the secretariat,” the defence argued.

Opposing police remand for Anil, the lawyers submitted that an FIR had been registered in Ahmedabad about seven years ago but the police there did not bother to arrest him. ''The (Mumbai) police want to please the people sitting in the Mantralaya,” the defence lawyers argued.

Mumbai Police did not even attempt to obtain transit remand for him from Godhra (where he was arrested) and he was not produced before the magistrate within stipulated 24 hours, they claimed.

“I (Anil) was in very good books until some people went against me…now I have become the villain,” his lawyers said.

Public prosecutor Jaising Desai told the court that to evade arrest, Anil used eight to ten mobile phones and SIM cards, and always used the Internet and WhatsApp calls to communicate.

In one of the videos sent to the complainant (Amruta Fadnavis) Aniksha is seen filling a bag with Rs 1 crore, the prosecutor said, adding that it was suspected that Anil shot the video, but he did not cooperate when questioned about the bag and the money. Further probe was required on this aspect, he said.

Nirmal Jaisinghni helped Anil to evade arrest, police said. The judge granted police Anil Jaisinghani's custody and also extended his daughter's police custody. The Investigating Officer has ''the right to interrogate both the accused (father and daughter) at once for the proper investigation,” the judge stated.

Based on Amruta Fadnavis's complaint, police had last month registered a case against the father-daughter duo under Indian Penal Code sections for conspiracy, extortion and under the provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act.