A Delhi court on Thursday extended till May 18 the police custody of AAP MLA Prakash Jarwal and other accused arrested in connection with a case of the alleged suicide of a doctor last month.

Rajendra Singh, 52, had allegedly committed suicide in Durga Vihar in south Delhi on April 18 and had blamed Jarwal in his suicide note. 

Jarwal, who represents Deoli assembly constituency, was arrested on May 9. A close aide of Jarwal, identified as Kapil Nagar, was also arrested in the case. 

Delhi Police, seeking six days remand for custodial interrogation, claimed that both the accused did not cooperate during interrogation and are hiding the facts. The counsel representing Jarwal, however, argued that no custodial interrogation was needed as they had joined the investigation and recovery of the phone has been already made from the house of both accused.

Allowing the police plea for custodial interrogation of Jarwal and co-accused Nagar, Metropolitan Magistrate Harshita Mishra said that despite four days police custody last week, a lot of investigative work remained to be done and several material facts still needed to be ferreted out.

"Recovery of mobile phone of accused Prakash, which is a very vital lead, is still to be effected and even the money trail is to be fully established. This court cannot be oblivious to and unmindful of the act that investigation is at the nascent stage and denying further police remand as sought, would tantamount to putting roadblocks in the way of effective and expeditious investigation, which still has considerable way to go," the court said in its order.

The court added that it cannot while adjudicating on a police custody application, adopt an entirely accused centric approach, "unmindful of the prevailing public and societal interests, which hangs in balance."

"Investigation has to proceed fairly and in an unimpeded and unhindered manner. Hence prayer of the police is partly allowed and accused persons are ordered to be send to police custody till May 18," It said.

Jarwal and his associate Kapil Nagar were booked on charges of extortion and abetment to suicide after a doctor allegedly committed suicide on April 18. The MLA had claimed innocence as Delhi Police began a probe in the matter. 

In a four-page suicide letter, the doctor had held Jarwal and his associate Kapil Nagar responsible for his suicide, following which police registered a case at Neb Sarai Police Station against the MLA and others on charges of extortion and abetment to suicide. 

The doctor's son had told the police that his father ran a clinic in Durga Vihar and was also in the business of water supply with the Delhi Jal Board since 2007. The FIR alleged that Singh had been threatened and intimidated for extortion by Jarwal and Nagar.

Jarwal had denied the charges and claimed that he had not met or spoken to Singh in the last 8-10 months.

"I have received this information through media that a doctor, who used to have a business in water tankers, has committed suicide and has mentioned my name in his suicide note. I would like to state that I am innocent. I haven't met or spoken to him in the last 8-10 months," Jarwal had said in a statement at the time.

The MLA had said that he had full faith in the judiciary was ready to face any investigation.