The CB-CID had kept hotelier Vikram Aggarwal (51), of ABM Avenue, an accused in the IPL betting scam case, in illegal custody for two days, his senior counsel V T Gopalan alleged in the Madras High Court on Wednesday.
When the anticipatory bail application of Aggarwal came up before vacation Judge C T Selvam on Wednesday, the counsel said Vikram was released on the night of May 29, that too after a complaint to the Chief Justice of the Madras High Court.
According to Gopalan, Mumbai police issued summons to Vikram in connection with the betting case.
Advocate Abudu Kumar Rajaratnam and senior advocate ARL Sundaresan, representing Vikram in a similar case registered by the Tamil Nadu CB-CID, told the Judge that their client was included in the case based on a confession statement by another accused, Harish Bajaj. The offences alleged against him were bailable. It would attract only six months imprisonment. CB-CID had granted a week’s time for his appearance. There was no need for custodial interrogation, they contended.
In its counter, the CB-CID submitted that the mobile call details of one of the persons involved in the case revealed that Aggarwal had contacted him when the IPL matches were played. He had frequently contacted Kitty alias Uttam C Jain, who was arrested on May 23. Investigation revealed that they spread false information about cricket players and made public believe that the bookies already knew the match result. Thereby, luring public to bet money. Interrogation of Uttam C Jain revealed that he was present on the petitioner’s premises when the offence was committed. Cell phone tower analysis of the petitioner’s location strengthened the case. Custodial interrogation of Aggarwal was necessary, it added.