ED opposes in SC Sukesh Chandrashekhar's plea for transfer to another jail, seeks perjury action against him
Jun 22, 2022
New Delhi [India] June 22 : The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Tuesday sought prosecution of 'conman' Sukesh Chandrashekhar for perjury and opposed his plea before the Supreme Court to transfer him and his wife from Tihar Jail to any other prison outside Delhi on the ground of a threat to his life.
A vacation bench of Justices CT Ravi Kumar and Sudhanshu Dhulia said that since another vacation bench has passed the order seeking names of jails in which Chandrashekhar and his wife could be transferred, it cannot review it or modify the order.
It asked Solicitor General Tushar Mehta to come up with a list of names of jails where he and his wife could be transferred and posted the matter for further hearing on June 23.
During the hearing, ED sought initiation of perjury proceedings against Chandrashekhar claiming that he has falsely stated in his affidavit about a physical assault in Tihar Jail and deliberately omitted the report of the doctors who ruled out any physical injury on him.
Senior advocate R Basant, appearing for Chandrashekhar, told the bench that his client continuously faces threats to his life from the jail staff and protection money is being sought from him.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta while opposing Chandrashekhar's plea for transfer to another jail said that police personnel from Tamil Nadu's special police force have been deployed for their security in Tihar jail.
The Solicitor General further apprised the court that Chandrashekhar used to call models and celebrities to his jail in collusion with prison staff, who have been suspended and an inquiry has been ordered against them.
Director General (Prisons), Delhi Prisons in a fresh affidavit stated that the contentions of Chandrashekhar that he was assaulted in jail are vehemently denied as totally and wholly false and "fabricated for the ulterior motive of seeking transfer to another prison in order to repeat his misdemeanours and offences."
The affidavit listed the 20 cases in which Chandrashekhar is accused and said that his jail conduct has been "unsatisfactory" and has been found involved in violating Delhi Prison Rules.
On Monday, the ED had told the top court that Chandrashekhar indulged in money laundering, extortion, and impersonation of public officials including that of those holding constitutional posts, and had opposed his plea for prison transfer outside Delhi.
Last week, the Supreme Court had said that it would be appropriate to transfer Chandrashekhar and his wife to some other jail so to allay the apprehension of all concerned and asked the Centre to take a decision on the appropriate jail to which he can be transferred.
Sukesh Chandrashekhar is lodged in Tihar jail on charges of money laundering and duping several persons and claimed a threat to his life in the prison.
Chandrashekhar along with his wife had moved the top court seeking his transfer from Tihar Jail to another prison. He said that since he has levelled allegations against jail officials, he faces a threat to his life.
He had alleged that the Tihar prison authorities have extorted around Rs 12.5 crore from him in the last two years.
He is charged with many multi-crore fraud cases and is also accused of extorting Rs 200 crore from the family of former Fortis Healthcare and Ranbaxy Lab promoters Shivinder and Malvinder Singh from the premises of the prison.
He was also arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in a money laundering case linked to the 2017 Election Commission bribery instance allegedly involving former AIADMK leader TTV Dhinakaran and others.
A number of women Bollywood actors and models have been questioned by the ED for their alleged links to Chandrashekhar.
