Thursday, December 22 2005 16:59 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Mumbai: Gangster-turned-MLA, Arun Gawli may have to undergo scientific tests twice, first for the Mumbai crime branch and second for Agripada police, with the Mumbai High Court yesterday (Dec 21, 2005) rejecting Gawli's plea against the tests, police said.

Against Gawli, the Agripada police is probing the Preity Jain conspiracy case, while the crime branch wants him in connection with an extortion complaint lodged by a trader from central Mumbai.

Police sources said that since the two cases were being independently probed, investigating units would like to get the tests done on Gawli separately, so as to derive maximum clues and information from him on these cases.

While the Agripada police are learnt to have initiated process to seek appointment either from the Bangalore forensic science laboratory or the Ahmedabad FSL to hold the polygraph (lie detector) and brain-mapping tests on Gawli, the Mumbai crime branch was yet to make a move, police sources said.

Asked when the scientific tests would be performed on the Chinchpokli legislator, Additional CP (Central Region), Subodh Kumar Jaiswal told sources, "our probe in the case is heading to the right direction as per the orders issued by the High Court."

DCP Dhananjay Kamalakar of Mumbai crime branch did not 'rule out the possibility' of holding scientific tests on Gawli, but refused to comment whether it would be done together with the Agripada police or independently.

The Mumbai HC yesterday rejected Gawli's petition urging to restrain police from subjecting him to scientific tests.