‘Till Saturday, eight people have been arrested and police has recovered one licensed pistol belonging to Sushil Kumar’.
New Delhi: A Delhi court extended by four days the police custody of Olympic medallist wrestler Sushil Kumar, arrested in connection with the murder of wrestler Sagar Dhankar at the Chhatrasal Stadium here. The court had earlier sent the accused to six days’ police custody for interrogation.
On May 4, Sagar Dhankhar was beaten to death following a clash between two groups. Sushil was nabbed by police along with his associate Ajay Kumar after he was on the run for close to a fortnight. The prosecutor in the case told the court that till Saturday, eight people have been arrested in the case and the police has recovered one licensed pistol belonging to Sushil Kumar.
“We need further police custody. Sushil Kumar is the mastermind of the crime in which a young wrestler died. It is evident from the video clip seized from one of the accused and statement of eyewitness” prosecutor told the court. The prosecution alleged that the accused persons have not cooperated with the investigation which made it difficult for them “to collect all incriminating evidence.” The prosecution told the court that the mobile phones of accused persons are yet to be recovered and that there were 18-20 persons involved in the offences of abduction who are yet to be arrested. Advocate Pradeep Rana, who appeared on behalf of Sushil Kumar, told the court that he opposed the remand application and questioned how a video of the incident was leaked on social media. “How six days were used by the agency? What have they done in six days? Court must go through the case diary day by day. If the mobile is in custody, video is in custody, after providing custody to police, the video came out in social media. How was it given to media persons?” to which the prosecutor told the court, “Video clip is a matter of inquiry. Maybe some other person has leaked. Investigation is the prerogative of the investigating agency. Accused can’t direct or guide in which manner investigation is to be done.”
Meanwhile, Delhi Police Crime Branch is investigating ties between accused wrestler Sushil Kumar and notorious gangster Neeraj Bawana, who allegedly runs his empire from Tihar jail. It has been learnt that it was Neeraj Bawana’s people who allegedly accompanied Sushil Kumar when the assault took place on May 4. A Scorpio retrieved from the crime scene, registered under a person staying at the same village as Neeraj Bawana’s uncle, has almost ascertained the link between the wrestler and Bawana. During the brawl another person who was beaten by Sushil Kumar and his associates with Sagar Dhanakar was Sonu Mahal, who happens to be the nephew of wanted gangster Kala Jathedi, now believed to be hiding in Dubai. As per Delhi Police Sonu, who has 19 cases of murder, extortion, and robbery lodged against him. It is believed that Jathedi treated Sonu like his son and carried out large-scale land grabbing and extortion in Delhi-NCR region through Sonu and other associates. Sushil was allegedly on good terms with Kala Jathedi as many pics of Sushil and close associates of Jhatedi together were surfaced as well, but it soured after the May 4 incident.
Sushil Kumar had connections with many dreaded gangsters. Police sources revealed that several criminals used to take shelter in a flat which was in the name of Sushil Kumar’s wife.