Pravin Mahajan remanded to police custody

Pravin Mahajan, who shot at his elder brother and Bharatiya Janata Party general secretary Pramod Mahajan, was remanded to police custody on Sunday till April 29 by a local court as police sought his sustained interrogation to ascertain the motive behind the crime.

Clad in a white kurta-pyjama, Pravin was produced before the presiding magistrate at a court in Bhoiwada area of Dadar in Central Mumbai.

Pravin had shot at Mahajan at the BJP leader's flat at Poorna building in Worli, Central Mumbai on Saturday, grievously injuring him. Seeking his custody, police said they needed to find out why Pravin had shot at his brother. Besides, they had to record the statements of Pramod Mahajan and his wife Rekha who was a prime witness to the shoot-out.

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Police further said Pravin had planned to kill his brother and they needed his custody to find out who he met since April 20.

Pravin's lawyer Nandkumar Rajurkar pleaded that his client, who was brought to the court with his face covered, needed medical attention at least for seven days and urged that thereafter the police may exercise their right to interrogate him. He said no one was paying heed to Pravin's mental state.

The lawyer said it was not a high-profile case as was being made out by the prosecution but a personal matter between two brothers and under such circumstances it was neccessary to find out the state of mind of the accused.

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Rajurkar submitted that Pravin be put under medical observation for seven days and thereafter he would cooperate with investigations. The Court, however, turned down Rajurkar's submissions and remanded the accused to police custody for a week.

Pravin has been booked under the Indian Penal Code and charged under Section 307 (attempt to murder) and Section 450 (criminal trespass with intention to commit serious crime punishable with life imprisonment).

Besides, he has been charged under Section 3 of the Arms Act (misuse of licenced weapon). In a statement to police on Saturday, Pravin said he wanted to kill his elder brother because he had treated him and his family like 'dirt'.