Amruta Fadnavis threat case: Court sends designer Aniksha Jaisinghani to 14-day judicial custody

MUMBAI, (PTI): A court here on Friday sent Aniksha Jaisinghani, arrested for allegedly offering a bribe to Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis’s wife Amruta and also threatening her, to 14-day judicial custody, turning down the cops’ plea to extend her police remand.

Aniksha was arrested by the city police on March 16 based on a case filed at Malabar Hill police station on February 20 on the complaint of Amruta Fadnavis. She is also accused of demanding extortion of Rs 10 crore from the latter.

The police produced Aniksha before sessions court judge D D Almale at the end of her previous remand.

The police, represented by special public prosecutor Ajay Misar, sought her custody for three more days to confront her with a witness.

Aniksha’s lawyer Manan Sanghai submitted that no new ground was made out for extending the police remand.

The court, after hearing both sides, rejected the investigators’ plea and remanded the accused in judicial custody.

Police have also arrested her father and suspected bookie Anil Jaisinghani and their relative Nirmal Jaisinghani in connection with the case. The duo are in police custody till March 27. They have been booked under Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections for conspiracy and extortion and provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act.

As per the FIR, Aniksha was in touch with Amruta for the past 16 months and also visited her residence.

In her statement to the police, Amruta said she first met Aniksha in November 2021. Aniksha claimed that she was a designer of clothes, jewellery and footwear and requested the BJP leader’s wife to wear them at public events saying it would help her promote the products, the police have said.

After gaining Amruta’s trust, Aniksha offered to provide her with information on some bookies through which, she claimed, they could make money. She then directly offered Amruta Rs 1 crore to get her father off the hook in a police case, as per the FIR. Amruta Fadnavis also told the police that she was upset by Aniksha’s behaviour and blocked her number, the police said.

The woman then allegedly sent Amruta video clips, voice notes and many messages from an unknown number. She and her father indirectly threatened and conspired against Amruta, said the official citing the FIR. (PTI)