New Delhi, July 9: AAP MLA Manoj Kumar, who was arrested in connection with a case of alleged cheating and land grabbing, was today remanded to two-day police custody by a Delhi court.
Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Saurabh Pratap Singh Laler sent Kumar, MLA from Kondli in east Delhi, to police custody till July 11 after investigating agency said some recoveries were to be made from him.
The police sought seven days custody of Kumar saying he has to be interrogated and several recoveries, including documents, money and stamps, have to be made from him.
It also said that Kumar had sold a plot to the complainant for Rs six lakh in November 2012 but later, he came to know that the land did not belong to the MLA.
It argued before the court that the fake document claims Kumar to be the owner of the property and the deal was finalised at Rs 21 lakh. But the owner of the plot was one Chandrakala who has given a statement to the police saying the property was never sold to Kumar.
The police custody plea was opposed by senior advocate H S Phoolka, who appeared for Kumar, saying no notice was issued to the MLA and he had joined the investigation whenever he was called to the police station.
The counsel also argued that the FIR was lodged on May 19, 2014 and asked why the police did not arrest Kumar earlier. He also alleged that Kumar was a victim of differences between Delhi Government and Delhi Police.
"The police arrested me (Kumar) because I am an AAP MLA now. I am a victim of increasing differences between Delhi Government and Delhi Police. Why did they not arrest me earlier when I was not an MLA," the counsel argued.
He also said that no recoveries were required to be made from Kumar.
Kumar was first questioned in New Ashok Vihar Police Station in connection with the case and later arrested.
Kumar is the second law-maker of AAP to be arrested. On June 9, then Law Minister Jitender Singh Tomar was arrested on charges of possessing fake degrees. He had later resigned from the Cabinet and has been in judicial custody.
Police said Kumar's was an old case relating to land fraud which was registered against him last year. A case of cheating was registered against Kumar following allegations that he duped his business partner Vinod of Rs six lakh.
Vinod had alleged in his complaint to the police that Kumar used to work as a property dealer before venturing into politics.
Vinod claimed that he was Kumar's business partner and had given Rs six lakh to him to purchase a plot in November 2012 but the property did not belong to him.
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