Delhi Court Orders In-Camera Hearings In Rape Case Against Businessman Samir Modi, Extends Police Remand

(MENAFN- IANS) New Delhi, Sep 19 (IANS) A Delhi court on Friday ordered that hearings in the rape case involving businessman Samir Modi, brother of former IPL head Lalit Modi, will be held in-camera.

The Saket Court decision came after the complainant's lawyer urged for a closed-door hearing, stressing the sensitive nature of the case.

Samir Modi's counsel opposed the request, contending that bail applications are not typically heard in-camera. However, the court upheld the request, calling it“reasonable” and directed that proceedings be conducted privately in-camera.

Further, the Saket Court granted an extension of two days for the police remand of Samir Modi, though Delhi Police had originally requested a three-day extension.

Samir Modi was arrested on Thursday at Delhi's IGI airport upon his return from a business trip to Europe, following a Look-Out Circular (LOC) issued against him. He was initially remanded to one day of police custody.

The arrest followed a First Information Report (FIR) filed last week at the New Friends Colony Police Station by a woman who alleged she had been in a long-term relationship with Samir Modi since 2019. In response, Samir Modi's legal team has dismissed the allegations as“false and concocted,” claiming they were intended to extort him.

In a press statement, Samir Modi's lawyer highlighted that Modi had himself lodged complaints on August 8 and 13, accusing the same woman of extortion and blackmail, supported by WhatsApp messages where“she demanded an amount of Rs 50 crore”.

Calling the police action“hasty,” the statement said:“This is a clear case of abuse of the provisions of law and hasty acts of the police in making an arrest without verifying the facts. Samir Modi had met with the investigating officer on this old case before his visit abroad, and he was arrested on his return to India, arbitrarily.”

It further questioned the credibility of the complaint, saying:“A detailed perusal of the alleged complaint will immediately show these claims of extremely serious and grave offences to be wild and scurrilous stories. Accusations refer to events alleged to have begun four years ago and continued thereon, which in itself speaks volumes about the nature and origin of this complaint and the complainant's motives.”

“By the complainant's own version of events, alleged meetings were in public places, restaurants, commercial office premises and residences. The intent of the complainant cannot be ruled out to be anything but malicious and devoid of any truth of said allegations,” it added.

Samir Modi, who is involved in several business-related litigations, is described in the statement as“a respectable businessman (who)... has full faith in the judiciary of our country and agencies who will not only investigate but immediately bring closure to this matter.”

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