Thirty six-year-old Raut, arrested from Lodhi Road area in South Delhi on Sunday afternoon, was produced before Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Sanjeev Jain before whom the agency sought his custodial interrogation to unravel the "deep rooted conspiracy" in the case.

During the proceedings, Raut, dressed in a black jacket, looked calm and smiled frequently as the court heard arguments for his custody. The CBI had secured an Interpol Red Corner Notice against him on February one.

Keeping in view that the kidney racket was spread across different states and that it may have international ramifications, a detailed interrogation of accused Jeevan was required, the court said while sending Raut to CBI custody till February 29.

"His involvement in the case is required by the investigating agency to unearth the entire racket. So, he be remanded to CBI custody till February 29," said CMM Jain.

CBI counsel A K Singh, while seeking his 14-day custody, said "to unearth the deep-rooted conspiracy between him and others, a detailed and sustained interrogation is required."

Raut's lawyer, S D Singh, while opposing the remand, argued that merely because he was the brother of the main accused in the case did not warrant such a long custodial interrogation. "You cannot take his custody for such a long time. In fact, he is in CBI custody since yesterday 2 pm," Singh said.

Raut, a medical degree holder, remained elusive for more than a fortnight after the racket was unearthed. He was arrested on Sunday by the CBI.

His brother and main accused in the case Dr Amit Kumar, who was arrested by the Nepalese authorities and handed over to India on February nine, is already in CBI custody.