Order reserved on AAP MLA's bail plea to attend last rites of father-in-law

New Delhi [India], June 4 (ANI): A Delhi court on Thursday reserved the order on an interim bail of AAP legislator Prakash Jarwal, seeking permission to attend last rites of his father-in-law, who had died yesterday.
His interim bail plea was heard through video conferencing by Additional Session Judge Sanjeev Aggarwal, who decided to pass the order on Friday.
Jarwal is currently lodged in Tihar Jail in connection with a doctor suicide case.
Jarwal, in his bail plea, told the court that his father-in-law was suspected with COVID-19 and his samples have been taken by LNJP hospital doctors.
The plea said that Jarwal's father-in-law had breathing problem for last two days and consequently he was admitted to the hospital. He expired on June 3 night.
Advocate Ravi Drall, representing Jarwal, informed the court that his wife who was also residing with her father since several days has also quarantined herself. "That the son of the applicant/accused is only 11-month-old and still feed by the wife of accused. There is apprehension that the wife and child of the applicant/accused are also suffering from COVID-19," the bail plea said.
As per Hindu rites, the presence of applicant Jarwal is must at the time of cremation of his father-in-law, the plea said.
Earlier, the court had dismissed the bail application of Jarwal, saying the probe was at a crucial stage and the accused being the MLA was "definitely an influential person" and can influence the witnesses who are yet to be examined on different aspects of the investigation.
Rajendra Singh, 52, allegedly committed suicide in Durga Vihar in south Delhi on April 18. In his suicide note, the doctor held Jarwal responsible for his death.
Like Jarwal, Singh was also involved in the business of water supply with the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) since 2007. Police alleged that the MLA and his associates were extorting money from other water-tanker owners, including the doctor.
Jarwal, who represents the Deoli assembly constituency, was arrested on May 9, after a case of extortion and abetment to suicide was filed against him and others based on a police complaint by the doctor's son -- Hemant.
The FIR said Singh had been threatened and intimidated by Jarwal and others.
"During the investigation, it was found that there was a big nexus between water-tanker owners and the accused person," the police said in the remand application.
Police said that their investigation showed the money extorted from water-tanker owners was routed through the MLA's brother Anil Jarwal and invested in several properties and farmhouses in Delhi, Gurugram and Jaipur.
They also claimed that Jarwal had got allotted many water borewells in his constituency by influencing the DJB and one water borewell was illegally given after taking Rs 10 lakh as "gratification money".
Police said complaints against the accused were filed to various authorities but the action was never taken.
They said they have found a WhatsApp group in the name of tanker-owners whose administrator is Kapil Nagar, a co-accused and Jarwal's close aide. Jarwal is one of its members.
The chat details clearly show the direct involvement of both the accused in running the tanker mafia in Sangam Vihar and Tigri. (ANI)