Amruta Fadnavis blackmail case: Bombay HC dismisses Anil Jaisinghani's plea alleging 'iilegal arrest'

The Bombay High Court on Friday dismissed a petition filed by bookie Anil Jaisinghani challenging his “illegal” arrest in an extortion and bribery case lodged by Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis’s wife, Amruta Fadnavis.

A division bench of Justices AS Gadkari and PD Naik dismissed the petition observing that it was devoid of merit.

Jaisinghani was arrested in Gujarat and is currently in judicial custody.

𝗝𝗮𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗶 𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘀 𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗴𝗮𝗹

He had filed a petition claiming that he had been illegally arrested on March 19, but was not produced before the court within 24 hours, as mandated in law.

His advocates, Mrigendra Singh and Mannan Sanghai, contended that he was produced before the sessions court in Mumbai 36 hours after his arrest. They further alleged that the case was being monitored by the complainant’s husband, who is the state’s home minister.

𝗣𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗰𝗲𝗱𝘂𝗿𝗲𝘀: 𝗔𝗚

Denying the allegations, Advocate General Birendra Saraf said the police had followed the legal procedures and that there had been no delay in producing Jaisinghani before the court for remand.

As per the arrest memo, Jaisinghani was arrested on March 20 at 5pm and was produced before the sessions court on March 21, Saraf said.

Jaisinghani had also sought bail from sessions court, which was rejected on April 1. He continues to remain in judicial custody.

Opposing Jaisinghani’s bail, the prosecution had pointed out that at one point there were 17 FIRs against him and that he had been absconding in many of them and the nature of the offence must be considered.

Jaisinghani has also been remanded to the custody of the Madhya Pradesh Police in an excise case.

𝗙𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿-𝗱𝗮𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗱𝘂𝗼 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸𝗲𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗯𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗺𝗮𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗔𝗺𝗿𝘂𝘁𝗮 𝗙𝗮𝗱𝗻𝗮𝘃𝗶𝘀

On February 20, the Malabar Hill Police Station registered an FIR against Jaisinghani and his daughter Aniksha for allegedly threatening to make public certain audio and video clips that purportedly show Fadnavis accepting favours from Aniksha. They were booked for offences under Sections 120B (criminal conspiracy) and 385 (extortion) of the Indian Penal Code and Sections 8 (induce public servant using corrupt means) and 12 (abetment) of the Prevention of Corruption Act.

Aniksha, who was arrested on March 17, was granted bail in the case by a sessions court on March 27.