Tel Aviv court extends remand of Eyal Golan's father by four days

The Tel Aviv Magistrate's Court extended by four days the remand Thursday of two men at the center of an underage sex scandal.

According to the police request filed at the court, Danny Biton, father of famous Israeli singer Eyal Golan, and Tsahi Asulin, who works at Golan's production company, Liam Productions, are suspected of statutory rape, inciting a minor to drug use and procuring minors.

Golan was released to house arrest Wednesday night after more than 13 hours of police questioning at Tel Aviv District's Central Unit. Golan and two of the other suspects in the case were put under house arrest for five days.

In his decision Thursday morning, Justice Shaul Melamed wrote that “in viewing the evidence I found reasonable grounds to back these suspicions. Reading the statements that these suspects gave to the police shows that they differ from others involved in this case who were placed under house arrest. 

The charges against these suspects are grave. It is morally heinous to exploit the innocence of young girls who are attracted to the glamour of the suspects.”

The Tel Aviv district police decided to reach an agreement in court to extend the arrest of Biton and Asuline because, according to the investigation material gathered thus far, there is a suspicion that the two were responsible for organizing the events during which the alleged offenses attributed to all those involved occurred. 

The two are suspected of exploiting their close relationship with Golan to give the underage girls hope that they could come and spend time in the singer's company.

Golan's driver was also questioned by police after being summoned to the central unit Thursday morning. The driver is suspected of sexual offenses committed against the underage girls. 

His attorney Shahar Hetzroni said in response that "He is not connected to the major, broader affair. This is a localized event that the police wanted to investigate. I estimate that he'll be released within a few hours."

Police raided the houses of a number of suspects Wednesday morning, including those of Biton and Asulin.

The Tel Aviv District Police hope to conclude the investigation in the next few days and reveal the identities of the other suspects.