Around eight to nine jail officials have been arrested since conman Sukesh Chandrasekhar’s alleged extortion racket being run from within Tihar Jail came to light, sources told News18.
Sources said close to 15 officials are under the scanner and 10, including some of those arrested, are facing departmental enquiry. Around 10 officials have also been transferred, though senior officials explained these to be routine transfers.
So far, those found involved are only up to the rank of Superintendent. However, sources in the Delhi Police said the involvement of officers ranking higher than Superintendent level cannot be completely ruled out at this stage.
Sukesh Chandrashekhar and his wife, actress Leena Maria Paul, were recently arrested by the ED under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) over an alleged extortion racket being run from jail.
The couple were already in Delhi Police custody and lodged in jail following a complaint by the spouses of jailed Ranbaxy promoters Shivinder Singh and Malvinder Singh. In the FIR, Shivinder Singh’s wife Aditi Singh had alleged that Chandrasekhar conned her of Rs 200 crore pretending to be a government official. Chandrasekhar allegedly said that he could ensure Shivinder’s bail. The Delhi Police also alleged that Chandrasekhar and his wife used hawala routes and shell companies to park the proceeds of the alleged crime overseas.
Sources in the ED had told News18 last week that Chandrasekhar ran the extortion racket out of a “plush office” in Tihar Jail and sometimes used the “office” of jailed Unitech Group owner Sanjay Chandra, whom the conman allegedly got close to. Sanjay Chandra and his brother Ajay Chandra were later shifted to jails in Mumbai on the orders of the Supreme Court after two ED reports highlighted “the connivance of Tihar Jail staff in flouting orders”.
Sources had added that the conman paid a bribe of Rs 1 crore every month to Tihar Jail officials for unrestricted access to luxury amenities and freedom to have female guests over. They said Chandrasekhar’s wife Leena Maria Paul had “open access” to her husband’s “office” and used to visit him regularly without any entry being recorded in the register. As per sources, Leena Paul said in her statement to the ED that the “office” had television, fridge, sofa and mineral water bottles.
“Sukesh used to give Rs 1 crore every month to jail officials to keep unlimited access to various facilities. Apart from Jacqueline Fernandes and Nora Fatehi, at least 10 more Bollywood actresses visited Sukesh Chandrasekhar in Tihar Jail,” a source had said.
Both Fernandez and Fatehi have also been questioned by the ED, with the chargesheet detailing the list of luxury gifts both received from Chandrasekhar.
Sources privy to action against prison officials have told News18 that staff “involved” with Chandrasekhar have either been suspended or face enquiry. Chandrasekhar is now reportedly being watched by a new set of prison staff.
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