ED agrees in SC to move conman Sukesh Chandrashekhar from Tihar to Mandoli jail

But the counsel for conman Sukesh Chandrashekhar told the apex court he wants a jail outside Delhi administration’s purview

The Enforcement Directorate, on Thursday, told the Supreme Court that it could move alleged conman Sukesh Chandrashekhar and his wife to Mandoli jail from Tihar jail.

Senior advocate R Basant, appearing for the accused, submitted before a vacation bench of Justices C T Ravikumar and Sudhanshu Dhulia that a majority of the cases against his client were registered in Bengaluru, so he should be shifted either to a jail over there or any other prison outside Delhi.

Chandrashekhar, and his wife Leena Paulose, are currently in custody at Tihar Jail for cheating and extortion cases. The couple had moved the apex court seeking transfer to another jail, citing threat to their lives. Tihar prison authorities, however, denied the allegations that he was assaulted within the jail, and stated that medical examination did not report any external injuries on Chandrashekhar.

Appearing for the ED, Additional Solicitor General S V Raju contended that Chandrashekhar could be transferred to Mandoli Jail in east Delhi, which is guarded by special paramilitary forces from outside, and special forces deployed there inside are from Tamil Nadu.

Basant, however, objected to the transfer to Mandoli jail, saying his client could be placed in Ghaziabad jail, but not in any jail under the Delhi administration.

To this the bench remarked, "Someone who's in jail wants a choice of jail.” The bench also asked Basant to file a response objecting to his client’s transfer to another jail in Delhi. “You haven’t mentioned that you want to transfer to any other jail, which is not under the same authorities,” the bench observed.

On behalf of the ED, Raju said that Chandrashekhar was involved in all sorts of illegal activities while in custody in Tihar. The bench asked Raju to bring it on record that they want to transfer Chandrashekhar to Mandoli jail. “Let the court consider it. Now you’re saying Mandoli, put it in black and white,” said the bench.

After hearing detailed arguments, the bench adjourned the matter to June 30 and allowed Chandrashekhar to file a response to ED’s submission. The bench also observed that the matter could only be taken after names of appropriate jails are brought on record.

The ED had opposed to move Chandrashekhar from Tihar and urged the top court to prosecute him for making false allegations of torture and assault within the jail premises.