Eyal Golan's father to remain in custody in sex crimes case, judge rules

An employee of the singer also to remain in custody; more witnesses being interviewed; victim central to case still missing.

By BEN HARTMAN
Eyal Golan (photo credit: Hadad Eliran)
Eyal Golan
(photo credit: Hadad Eliran)
Singer Eyal Golan’s father and an employee of his were on Sunday ordered to remain in police custody an additional four days, as police work on the case against them, involving allegations of sex crimes with underage girls.
During the hearing a police representative said that suspect Tzahi Asulin knew the age of one of the complainants, a 17-year-old girl, because she is a relative of his. Police also said that there are other witnesses who linked him to using drugs with minors, including a girl younger than 16.
In terms of Dani Biton, Golan’s 61-year-old father, police said that at least one underage girl said that she had sex with him, and that he is also suspected of giving her money and gifts. In regards to the claim that the girls worked in prostitution before Biton met them, the police officer present said that investigators had already heard that claim from Biton. The lawyer asked if police had investigated the Tel Aviv strip club where two of the girls allegedly worked, to which he said they had not.
At the end of the hearing Judge Shmuel Melamed ordered both suspects kept in custody for four days, but ruled that at the end of the four days both would be set free to house arrest. They both had to post bond and agree to make no contact with any of the complainants or to leave the country for 180 days.
Tzion Amir, one of Tzahi Asulin’s attorneys said that “the judge highlighted in his ruling the over-enthusiasm of the police. It’s true they extended the remand by a few days in order to finish the investigation, but the judge also ruled today that they will be released. I am sure that the case is getting back to its proportions, at least for the suspect I represent.”
Police said Sunday that they have still not found the 15-year-old girl central to the case who ran away from home late Thursday night. They added that they do not believe she is danger, and that she fled because her parents wanted to put her in a boarding school beginning this week.


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