Court issues production warrants against BSP MP, wife

, Dec 3: A Delhi court today issued production warrants against BSP

Dhananjay Singh and his wife Jagriti Singh, currently lodged in jail under judicial custody in connection with the

of their maid.

Metropolitan Magistrate Gomati Manocha issued the production warrants for December 5 since they could not be produced before the regular court for extension of their judicial remand. The court was informed that Dhananjay, an MP from Jaunpur in Uttar Pradesh, and Jagriti, a dental surgeon at the R M L Hospital here, could not be produced before it as the police officials, who escort the accused to and from jail to court, were on Delhi Assembly election duty.

Under the circumstances, their judicial custody till December 5 will be extended by the magistrate posted in the jail, the defence counsel said. Dhananjay and Jagriti were arrested on November 5 in connection with the death of their 35-year-old maid Rakhi Bhadra, a resident of West Bengal.

The MP, who already faces charges of murder and offences under UP Gangsters Act, was arrested for allegedly destroying evidence, not informing police about the maid's death immediately and employing a juvenile as domestic help.

Jagriti has been arrested under sections 302 (murder), 307 (attempt to murder), 344 (wrongful confinement) of Indian Penal Code and Juvenile Justice Act. Magistrate Manocha had dismissed Dhananjay's bail plea on November 20, saying that allegations against him were "very serious" and he did not deserve any leniency due to his previous conduct.

The court had also directed the police to provide protection to principal witnesses till the time their statements were recorded in the trial. Dhananjay had later moved a bail plea before a sessions court, but his application was dismissed by Additional Sessions Judge Dharmesh Sharma who observed that he had "actively participated" in atrocities, which aggravated the miseries of his domestic helps.

PTI