The Rouse Avenue court on Monday remanded Dr Manoj Shirure, Tejas Harshad Kumar Shah and Manisha Sanjay Hawaldar in judicial custody after CBI interrogation. They have been arrested in the NEET UG Paper leak case.
Special Judge (CBI) Ajay Gupta remanded the accused persons in judicial custody till June 15. They were produced before the court after CBI interrogation.
The CBI sought 14 days’ judicial custody of all three accused.
The CBI Public Prosecutor VK Pathak and deputy SP Pawan Kumar Kaushik earlier had sought custody of Dr Shirure and Shah to interrogate them in connection with the larger Conspiracy in the leakage and distribution of the NEET UG Paper leak.
The CBI had said that Dr Manoj Shirure took Rs 5 lakh from Shivraj Raghunath Motegaonkar. The same amount was recovered from the house of his sister.
Counsel for Shirure had opposed the remand application, saying that before his arrest, he had joined the investigation at Latur on May 19.
He had also said that Shirure cooperated in the investigation and gave what the CBI wanted. Since May 19, they have my phone, it is not mentioned in the remand application, the counsel said.
He has been interrogated thrice on different dates before his arrest. The counsel said. The counsel said that Shirure and his wife are well-known doctors
The CBI has only a disclosure statement of Kulkarni and the recovery of Rs 5 lakh from the sister’s house, again, Dr Manoj Shirure, the counsel said
The counsel had said that Manoj should be released on ground on illegal arrest. The CBI has not mentioned the 50-hour interrogation, the counsel said
The CBI rebutted the submissions of the defence counsel, saying that he wants us to produce the entire evidence on day one before the court
The CBI said that Dr Manoj Shirure has an active role in the leakage of the exam paper. He is very much part of the conspiracy
The court had asked the CBI why 5 days’ custody was required. The CBI said that there are several accused, and searches are ongoing in different parts.
While seeking custody of Tejas Harshad Kumar Shah, the CBI had said that he is a faculty member of Physics at Pune’s Dr Abhang Prabhu Medical Academy (PMLA).
The CBI said Tejas provided the Physics exam paper to Manisha Sanjay Hawaldar. Manisha Hawaldar is also an empanelled expert and under custody.
The same paper was recovered from Manisha Hawaldar’s mobile.
The CBI said that it requires his custody to determine where the exam paper was utilised.
The CBI said that his custody was required to collect evidence, digital evidence, and to identify other accused in this case. He is to be confronted with other Accused persons.
