Spying case: Journo's wife flags 'evidence fabrication' by police

New Delhi, Sep 24 The wife of freelance journalist Rajeev Sharma, who was recently arrested under the Officials Secrets Act in an espionage case, has written a letter to the Special Cell of the Delhi Police, claiming that the interrogation of her husband is illegal and that police has destroyed some material evidence and fabricated others.

On September 14, the Special Cell of the Delhi Police had arrested the 61-year-old journalist, allegedly found working for Chinese intelligence. During a search of his house in New Delhi's Pitampura, one laptop, some confidential documents related to the Indian Defence and incriminating papers were seized.

Sharma was sent to police custody after his arrest, which was further extended till September 28 by Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Pawan Singh Rajawat on Monday. Besides him, Chinese woman Qing Shi and Nepalese citizen Sher Singh were also sent to special cell's custody.

In a letter, Dr. Pratima Vyas wrote, "On the day of the arrest of my husband, police forced me to sign on a document, which both of us were not allowed to read. The police got signatures of our neighbour Mr. Joel Demello, on the seizure memo on the night of 14.9.2020, but yet again Mr. Demello was asked to sign some documents on 18.9.2020 at the office of Special Cell. It appears that the police have destroyed some material evidence and at the same time fabricated some evidence."

Dr. Vyas, in the letter dated September 23, brought to the notice of the Joint Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner of Special Cell that accused Rajeev Sharma's request for a lawyer to remain present during his interrogation was not allowed. "He was forced to sign and write as per the police dictation."

She added, "Police have not provided this facility of the presence of the lawyer with an objective of destruction of evidence and fabrication of evidence. In this situation, the interrogation of my husband has become illegal as he has been deprived of his right to have the presence of the lawyer of his choice."

Sharma's wife further contended that even after ten days of arrest, the lawyers have neither received the copy of the first information report

( With inputs from IANS )