Delhi Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena has granted permission to the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the Delhi Police to probe the role of 82 officials of prison department in the organised crime syndicate run by conman Sukesh Chandrashekhar from the Rohini jail.
According to Raj Niwas sources, the EOW had sought the permission of the competent authority for investigating these officials under Section 17(A) of POC Act, in a case which is already being investigated under various Sections of IPC dealing with extortion, cheating, forgery and criminal conspiracy as well as under special statues, including the MCOCA and the IT Act.
Pointing out that the prison department was under the now jailed AAP leader and Minister Satyendar Jain, the Lieutenant Governor has noted that under Jain several serious controversies marred the prison. These include confiscation of mobile phones from prisoners following which jamming devices were installed in and around various jails recently, the LG Office sources said.
“Similarly, issues of overcrowding, violent clashes among inmates and prisoners jumping parole have put the department under a cloud. The case pertains to the extortion of `200 crore by Chandrashekhar in collusion with jail officials,” a source said. Chandrashekhar was lodged in jail number 10 of Rohini Jail at the time of the incident.
The EOW had informed that during investigation in the case, seven officers were arrested for facilitating the extortion syndicate run by the accused. It also found the involvement of 82 officials who had colluded in running the syndicate from the prison.
Chandrashekhar, who is currently in Mandoli jail, is accused of cheating many people, including high-profile individuals such as former Fortis Healthcare promoter Shivinder Mohan Singh’s wife Aditi Singh of `200 crore.
“He was living in the jail like a king. It seems all officials of Rohini jail were involved because of the facilities given to him. An entire barrack vacant of all other inmates was given to him,” the police said in the document.
The police also said that he was using certain high-end mobile applications to spoof the landline numbers of top Government officials for extorting huge amounts of money from several people from inside the jail.
The Supreme Court on October 18 refused to entertain a fresh plea by alleged “conman” Sukesh Chandrashekhar seeking transfer from Mandoli jail in the city to any other jail which is not under control of the Director General of Prisons, Delhi.
A Bench of Justices Ajay Rastogi and CT Ravikumar declined to interfere in the matter.
“We find no reason to entertain the petition. We don’t appreciate this kind of behaviour,” the Bench said.
The counsel appearing for the alleged conman submitted before the Bench that in spite of several assurances Chandrashekhar was being allegedly assaulted in jail. The lawyer also alleged that Chandrashekhar is being pressured to pay Rs 25 lakh per month in jail.
Earlier, the Supreme Court on August 23 had ordered that Chandrashekhar and his wife be shifted from Tihar Jail to Mandoli Jail in the city. The order was passed on a plea filed by Chandrashekhar and his wife alleging a threat to their lives and seeking a transfer to a prison outside Delhi.
On June 20, the ED had made some startling revelations against Chandrashekhar that he indulged in money laundering, extortion, impersonation of public officials, including those holding Constitutional posts, and had opposed his plea for prison transfer outside Delhi.
The probe agency named several TV and Bollywood personalities with whom the alleged conman has contacts and used to give them expensive gifts. Chandrasekhar, reportedly aged in his 30s, is a conman and a native of Bengaluru. According to police officials, he wanted to lead a luxurious life and started duping people at 17.