Delhi: Man co-accused in doctor suicide case gets bail

New Delhi: A Delhi Court has granted bail to a man, arrested in connection with a case of alleged suicide of a doctor in south Delhi in April last year.

Additional Sessions Judge Geetanjli Goel granted the relief to Kapil Nagar on furnishing a bail bond of Rs 25,000 with one surety of like amount.

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Nagar was allegedly a close aide of AAP legislator Prakash Jarwal, who was also arrested in the case and is currently out on bail.

The court said in its order dated March 20, "As per the report of the IO (investigating officer), the voice sample of the witness Sanjay has already been collected and samples are now before the FSL (Forensic Science Laboratory) and it is stated that no further investigation remains to be done.

"Charge sheet has already been filed. In these circumstances, no purpose would be served by sending the applicant (Nagar) to custody," it said.

The court directed Nagar not to tamper with evidence or influence the witnesses in the case.

The court noted that a perusal of the material on record showed that there was no mention of Nagar's name in the complaint made by the wife of the deceased just one week before the suicide to Delhi Jal Board and there was no allegation of threat or extortion.

"Moreover, no complaint was made of extortion or harassment against the applicant (Nagar) since 2006 since when the deceased and his family members were plying water tankers. It is not in dispute that the name of the deceased was blacklisted by DJB.

"As regards the allegations of stoppage of payment, there is merit in the contention of the counsel for the applicant that the applicant was neither the Member of DJB nor its office bearer to have been in a position to stop the payment of money," it said.

It further said nothing has been brought on record to show that the deceased or his family members had applied for re-engagement of water tankers and the main allegations were against Jarwal.

It said it was true that the deceased had committed suicide on April 18, 2020, but there were no allegations prima facie against Nagar immediately prior to the date of the incident nor any complaint of alleged extortion of money made by them against him.

"Even the allegations that have been made of influencing the witnesses are against the accused Prakash Jarwal and not against the present applicant (Nagar)," the court said.

Advocate Ravi Drall, appearing for Nagar, submitted that he was on interim bail and had already joined the investigation.

Drall further said that there was no evidence to prove that Nagar had allegedly tried to extort money from the deceased.

Additional Public Prosecutor Manoj Garg, appearing for the police, opposed the bail plea saying allegations against Nagar were serious in nature as he had allegedly abetted the commission of the suicide.

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 since 2007, and 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 alleged 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 allegedly threatened and intimidated by Jarwal and others.

Police alleged 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 farm-houses in Delhi, Gurugram (Haryana) and Jaipur (Rajasthan).

They also claimed that Jarwal had got allotted many water borewells in his constituency by influencing the Jal Board 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 action was allegedly never taken.

They said they have found a WhatsApp group in the name of tanker-owners whose administrator was Nagar. 

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