NIA gets 8-day remand of PLFI leader

RANCHI: The special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court on Monday allowed eight-day remand of People Liberation Front of India (PLFI) chief Dinesh Gope to the NIA for interrogation in the case (RC-02/2018/NIA/DLI) related to the seizure of demonetized cash from his accomplices in November 2016 soon after the demonetization was announced.
The NIA produced Gope before the court of additional judicial commissioner Madhuresh Varma at about 1 pm amid tight security. The central agency initially sought 14 days' remand but curtailed it to 10 after being opposed by the defence lawyer.
As Gope has not hired any advocate, the Legal Aid Defence Counsel System (LADCS), which has been started by the National Legal Service Authority in February, provided him with a defence advocate, Saurabh Pandey.
Appearing on behalf of Gope, Pandey opposed the NIA remand petition saying the central agency has already completed the investigation and submitted the chargesheet. He said the remand petition is not maintainable under the circumstances. Eventually, the court permitted a remand of eight days. The entire exercise lasted for about half an hour.
Notably, the LADCS would provide an advocate to Gope till he hires a personal lawyer.
‘Demonetised Rs 25.38L seized from Gope aides under lens’
Gope was brought to the court with security provided by the Jharkhand Jaguar force, which is a specialised unit to fight extremist organisations. The NIA investigation is concerned with the seizure of demonetised currency totalling Rs 25.38 lakhs by the police from Gope’s accomplices under the Bero police station area of Ranchi district. The agency had registered a case on January 19, 2018. It had also attached 14 bank accounts and two cars, along with cash and immovable property worth over Rs 1 cr in the case.