Mumbai: A sessions court on Monday granted bail to bookie Anil Jaisinghani's daughter and designer Aniksha Jaisinghani, booked for blackmailing deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis's wife Amruta Fadnavis.
Opposing Aniksha's bail application, the prosecution told the court by reading out messages sent by the 25-year-old to Amruta, that she had threatened that her father is in regular contact with Shiv Sena leader Uddhav Thackeray and NCP supremo Sharad Pawar and that the video clips would be shared with them if she does not pay Rs. 10 crores.
Aniksha's threat messages read out in Court
Reading out some of the messages regarding Aniksha blackmailing Amruta for Rs. 10 crores to delete video clips in her possession, prosecutor Ajay Misar said she wrote, "'You do not know my father', 'My father is regularly in contact with Sharad Pawar and Uddhav Thackeray and he will also give them to Modiji'.
Aniksha's advocates Mrigendra Singh and Manan Sanghai argued on her behalf, "Only because the deputy CM's wife had lodged a complaint against me, should I be kept behind bars?" Advocate Singh also pointed out that the police had not disclosed why the accused had allegedly demanded Rs. 10 crores. "Let them come forward and tell why they were asking," he challenged. He further said that Fadnavis is holding the charge of the home ministry and hence the police is 'dancing to his tunes'.
Prosecution: If released, she (Aniksha) may defame the complainant
Opposing bail to the designer daughter, the prosecution also told the court in its response submitted before the court, that if released, she may defame the complainant and her husband on media or social media. It also said that there is a possibility that other political persons are involved in the conspiracy. It also pointed out that the 25-year-old made a video recording of her conversation with Amruta without her knowledge and it probe is on if she meant any harm.
Additional Sessions Judge DD Almale granted bail to Aniksha on conditions of furnishing a personal bond of Rs. 50,000 and sureties. The court has also prohibited her from leaving the city and has directed her to regularly attend the police station till the filing of the chargesheet and also cooperate with the probe.
The court also, on Monday, had remanded Anil Jaisinghani and his cousin Nirmal Jaisinghani in judicial custody after rejecting the police's plea for an extension of his custody with it for another five days. The Madhya Pradesh police sought his custody as soon as the bookie was remanded in judicial custody.
