Opposing conman Sukesh Chandrashekhar's plea for transfer to a prison outside Delhi, the Enforcement Directorate told the Supreme Court that he repeatedly committed offences -- including money laundering - while being inside the Tihar Jail by flouting rules.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the ED, submitted before a vacation bench of Justices C.T. Ravi Kumar and Sudhanshu Dhulia that the agency wants to intervene in the matter, since it is probing the money laundering charges against Chandrashekhar.
The agency claimed that Chandrashekhar, who is currently lodged in the Tihar Jail on charges of money laundering and duping several people, indulged in money laundering, impersonation of public officials --including those holding constitutional posts -- and extortion.
Chandrashekhar and his wife had moved the top court seeking transfer to a prison outside Delhi claiming security threat to his lives inside the jail. The top court agreed to hear the matter on Tuesday.
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The ED said Chandrashekhar's plea for transfer to another prison is a ploy to take advantage of the loopholes and he would deploy innovative methods of conmanship against the jail authorities, as he did in Tihar Jail.
The top court, in its order passed on June 17, said: "In the facts and circumstances, without entering into the rival contentions, it would be appropriate to transfer the petitioners to some other jail so to allay the apprehension of all concerned. As requested, list on 20.06.2022 to enable the respondents to take a decision on the appropriate jail to which the petitioners can be transferred."
The ED said Chandrashekhar, with the proceeds of crime, purchased houses, cars, various luxury items etc, and gave expensive gifts to celebrities, and to jail authorities for facilities inside the jail.
In its intervention application, it contended Chandrashekhar is a master conman and with technology, at his disposal, he could execute more crimes with perfection. It added with abilities to con people, he repeatedly committed offences including that of money laundering during his incarceration in the jail by subverting prison rules and the legal system.
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The ED has claimed that the couple was running an organised crime syndicate inside the jail, threatened people, and allegedly transferred funds to Hong Kong and Dubai while being in prison. It added that he was maintaining a "personal office" in Tihar Jail. The ED said strong measures have been taken against the conspiring officials, and it would be in the interest of justice that he remains in Tihar Jail, it said.
