New Delhi: In his anticipatory bail plea before the Patiala House court here, Bikram Gogoi—the new name that has cropped up in connection with the 2023 abduction case against former Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW) officer Vikash Yadav—has stated that he knew the main accused Jalaluddin alias Sameer since his schooling days in Delhi.
According to the plea, accessed by ThePrint, the 24-year-old Guwahati resident has received four notices so far from the Delhi Police Special Cell since July, asking him to appear before the investigating team in connection with the abduction case lodged in December 2023.
“After completion of his studies, the petitioner returned to his native place at Guwahati, Assam and started doing his real estate business. But occasionally, the petitioner contacts the said Sameer (Jalaluddin) through phone,” read the petition by Gogoi.
The plea, while mentioning that Gogoi introduced co-accused Abdullah Khan and Jalaluddin, submits that he is in no way linked to the abduction.
According to it, “Abdullah, who is an original residence (sic) of Delhi, but staying at Guwahati due tọ his quarry business and because of the business purpose, the petitioner also know (sic) the said Abdullah and on being asked by the Sameer alias Jalaludeen regarding knowing any person from Delhi, the petitioner introduced Abdullah to Sameer and by this way they all know to each other.”
The plea further reiterates that Gogoi wasn’t aware of Jalauddin’s criminal antecedents and questions why was sent notices two years after registration of the case. Gogoi, the plea submits, suspects this to be a “conspiracy”.
Special Cell notices sent to Gogoi state that the investigating team has reasonable grounds to question him to ascertain facts and circumstances in connection with the kidnapping and attempted murder case lodged on the basis of a complaint by Delhi-based businessman Raj Kumar Walia.
ThePrint earlier reported on Gogoi moving an anticipatory bail application fearing arrest, adding a fresh twist to the case. His application mentions that Gogoi learnt of the allegations against Yadav, Jalaluddin and Khan when his maternal uncle visited the Special Cell. He also learnt that investigators had discovered his ties with Khan and Jalaluddin.
Jalaluddin was also a panel operator in the Mahadev betting ‘scam’ case, which is being probed by the ED, according to the Delhi Police.
All three accused arrested in connection with this case are out on bail.
Yadav was arrested by Delhi Police weeks after a US Department of Justice (DoJ) indictment named him in the alleged murder-for-hire plot against Sikh separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun. Yadav, wanted by the FBI, has not appeared before the Delhi court hearing the case to date citing a threat to his life.
The investigating team has told the court they would file a supplementary chargesheet in the case based on fresh evidence.
Walia, the complainant, had accused Khan and Yadav of abducting and torturing him, and demanding ransom in the name of jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi. The chargesheet filed last year alleges that it was Jalaluddin who had given Bishnoi the contract to kill Walia.
(Edited by Amrtansh Arora)
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