By IANS,
New Delhi: A city court Monday allowed the plea of Kobad Ghandy, the arrested leader of the banned Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist), to have his lawyer present during his police interrogation but stipulated he has to be at a “considerable distance”.
Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Kaveri Baweja accepted Ghandy’s plea, through his lawyer Vishal Gosain, allowing Gosain to be present during the interrogation but also told him that he should not interfere in the proceedings and maintain a considerable distance in consultation with the investigating officer (IO) of the case.
Gosain has also submitted an undertaking in the court that he will not interfere during the interrogation at any stage.
The court turned down the plea of Delhi Police who opposed Ghandy’s request, contending that the very purpose of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act would be impeded if counsel is allowed during interrogation.
The 63-year-old London-educated Ghandy, arrested here Sep 21 under the act for being a member of the banned terror organisation, was residing at a rented accommodation in south Delhi and was allegedly working to set up a base for the Maoists in the capital.
Ghandy, whose release was demanded by Maoists in exchange for abducted Jharkhand police official Francis Induwar, has been sent to police custody till Oct 15.
Maoists had beheaded Induwar Oct 6 and dumped his body off Jharkhand’s Ranchi-Bundu highway.