The Supreme Court on Thursday heard the petition seeking the transfer of conman Sukesh Chandrashekhar and his wife to any other jail from Tihar Jail.
Appearing for Chandrashekhar, Senior Advocate Basant informed the court that it is only a petition to shift Chandrashekhar to any other jail other than Tihar. He then asked for Chandrashekhar to be transferred to a prison in Bengaluru where a majority of the cases against him are being tried.
In response, Additional Solicitor General SV Raju told the Supreme Court that Chandrashekhar can be shifted to Mandoli Jail in Delhi from Tihar. Mandoli is secure because it is guarded by central paramilitary forces. The conman is currently undergoing trial over Enforcement Directorate’s allegations of money laundering, the ASG told the Supreme Court.
To this, Basant objected and argued that Chandrashekar should be shifted to any jail outside of Delhi.
The Apex Court said that Tihar jail authorities are extorting money from him and assaulting him. At this point, ASG Raju informed the court that Chandrashekhar was using jail premises to do illegal activities. He has also telephoned some judges asking them to pass a favourable order, ASG said.
Last week, the Supreme Court had ordered that it would be appropriate to shift Chandrashekar from Tihar Jail. The court had then asked the Centre to file a list of jails where he can be shifted.
The ED has already seized a luxurious sea-facing bungalow in Chennai, Rs 82.5 lakh cash, and over a dozen luxury cars in connection with the money laundering case against him.
In his plea, Chandrashekhar had said that there is a threat to his life at Tihar as many officials of the jail have been arrested for taking bribes from him. It has also been alleged that Chandrashekhar bribed Tihar officials to live comfortably in jail.
The Court has also recorded that ASG’s statement was without prejudice to the Centre’s position on shifting him from Tihar being unwarranted.
On behalf of the Enforcement Directorate (ED), Solicitor General Tushar Mehta had told the Supreme Court that the probe agency has filed an application on this matter.
On the previous hearing, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said in the Supreme Court that models visited Chandrashekar in jail with the help of authorities, however action has been taken against them.
The case has now been posted for further consideration on June 30, 2022.