Chandigarh: Vikas Bector denied bail in Rs 7-crore extortion case

Bector, represented by K P S Dhillon, argued that he had been falsely implicated due to a personal civil dispute with the complainant advocate Gaurav Dhir. He maintained that his arrest violated Section 35 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) and the Supreme Court’s ruling in Arnesh Kumar vs. State of Bihar, as no prior notice of appearance was issued.

However, Ld. APP Puneet Thukral, assisted by the complainant appearing in person, strongly opposed the plea, contending that the allegations involved a demand of Rs 6–7 crore and that custodial interrogation was essential to trace the financial transactions and identify others involved.

In his order, the Court of Judicial Magistrate First Class, Kharar, Tanveer S Madhav, noted that the magnitude of the alleged demand, multiple similar cases against the accused, and the ongoing stage of investigation warranted continued custody.

“The gravity of allegations and the financial component persuade this court that further custody cannot be ruled out,” the order stated, while clarifying that the observations would not affect the trial’s merits.