Court extends Rajasthan BJP leader's judicial custody

Jaipur, April 16 (IANS) A special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court Monday extended till April 24 the judicial custody of senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislator Rajendra Singh Rathore, who was arrested for his involvement in the Dara Singh staged shootout case.

The court, however, reserved its verdict on taking cognizance of the charge-sheet against Rathore, a former minister in the BJP's Vasundhara Raje government.

"The court heard arguments from the prosecution as well as the defence over whether or not to take cognizance of the supplementary chargesheet filed against him by the CBI. The court reserved its verdict for April 24," said CBI's lawyer Sarfarz Haider Khan.

Khan said trial against Rathore will commence if the court takes cognizance of the chargesheet April 24.

Rathore who is lodged in the Jaipur Central Jail was brought to the court amid heavy security.

The CBI arrested Rathore April 12 after a brief interrogation at its Jaipur office.

The alleged staged shootout that led to the death of purported liquor smuggler Dara Singh by police's special operations group took place on the outskirts of Jaipur Oct 23, 2006.

The probe agency, in its chargesheet filed in the court, accused Rathore of kidnapping and criminal conspiracy.

Dara Singh was once a known associate of Rathore before they fell apart and became rivals.

The CBI took over the case following a direction from the Supreme Court. The first charge sheet in the case was filed on June 3, 2011.

The case has so far seen the arrest of 11 policemen, including two Indian Police Service (IPS) officers -- Additional Director General of Police A.K. Jain and Inspector General of Police A. Ponnuchami.

Other arrested policemen are inspectors Nisar Khan, Naresh Sharma and Subhash Godara, sub-inspectors Satyanarayan Godara and Munshi Lal, assistant sub-inspector Surendra Singh, constables Jagraj and Bardi Prasad and driver Sardar Singh.

Accused policemen Rajesh Chaudhary, Zulfikar and Arvind are on the run