New Delhi, June 23 The Enforcement Directorate on Thursday informed the Supreme Court that it could shift alleged conman Sukesh Chandrashekhar and his wife from the Tihar Jail to Mandoli Jail in east Delhi.
Senior advocate R. Basant, representing Chandrashekhar, submitted before a vacation bench comprising Justices C.T. Ravikumar and Sudhanshu Dhulia that a majority of cases against his client were registered in Bengaluru. He urged the top court to transfer his client either to a jail in Bengaluru or outside Delhi.
The bench noted that during the last hearing, it had asked the Centre to come up with jails where Chandrashekhar could be transferred, however there was no response. "We had said that once that is furnished... we will not pass any order but will place it before the regular bench."
Additional Solicitor General S.V. Raju contended that Chandrashekhar could be transferred to Mandoli Jail in east Delhi, adding that the jail is guarded by special para military forces. He said paramilitary forces are deployed outside and inside, the Tamil Nadu Special Police Force could watch over him.
Basant, objecting to the transfer of his client to Mandoli jail, said the jail should be outside Delhi and he could be placed in Ghaziabad Jail, but not in any jail under Delhi administration.
At this, the bench remarked: "Someone who's in jail wants a choice of jail."
The bench 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," it said.
As Raju said Chandrashekhar was involved in all illegal activities while in custody in Tihar jail, the bench asked him to bring it on record that they want to transfer the conman to Mandoli jail. "Let the bench 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 on the ED's submission. The bench noted that it had specifically observed that the matter could be taken only after names of appropriate jail are brought on record.
The ED had opposed to the shifting of Chandrashekhar from the Tihar jail and urged the top court to prosecute him under perjury for making false allegations of torture and assault on the jail premises.
Chandrashekhar and his wife Leena Paulose, are currently lodged in Tihar Jail in cases related to cheating and extortion. They moved the apex court seeking transfer to any other jail citing threat to their lives. The prison authorities have denied allegations that he was assaulted within the jail and that the medical examination did not report any external injuries on him.
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