New Delhi: A Delhi court on August 31 extended the judicial custody of Pradeep Sharma, a key accused in journalist Shivani Bhatnagar murder case, by 11 days and issued directions to jail authorities to shift him to a high-security cell following complaints of threat to his life.

Acting on an application by defence counsel D B Goswami alleging danger to the life of Pradeep ever since he accused some "higher-ups" of trying to influence investigations in the case, metropolitan magistrate Raj Kumar Chauhan directed the Tihar jail superintendent to provide adequate security to Pradeep and transfer him to a high-security cell.

"Since it is a case where the names of a lot of higher-ups are on stake, it would be very unwise on the part of the applicant to take that danger very lightly," the counsel submitted.

Meanwhile the court also sent Satya Prakash, the Gurgaon-based property dealer and another key accused in the case, for 11 days judicial custody upon expiry of his police remand on August 31.

Prakash, accused of having arranged for the killers of Shivani, was remanded to police custody for 11 days on August 18. Later, his police remand was extended by three more days on August 28.

PTI