Apex court junks conman Sukesh’s plea to change jail

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, February 18

Terming it an “abuse of the process of law”, the Supreme Court on Tuesday junked a plea filed by conman Sukesh Chandrashekhar seeking directions to shift him from Mandoli jail in Delhi to any other prison except Punjab and national capital.

A Bench of Justices Bela M Trivedi and PB

Varale noted that similar pleas by Chandrasekhar had been previously rejected by the court.

“You have money to spend and you keep taking chances. This is an abuse of the process of law. How can you keep filing the same petition?” the Bench remarked.

“We are not inclined to entertain this petition under Article 32 of the Constitution. While we are not expressing an opinion on the merits of the case, we cannot resist noting that the petitioner has attempted to misuse the legal process by filing multiple writ petitions under the guise of changed circumstances,” it added.

Senior advocate Shoeb Alam, appearing for Chandrasekhar, argued that he had a fundamental right under Article 21 of the Constitution not to be kept away from his family. He requested that Chandrasekhar be shifted to a jail in Karnataka or a nearby state.

However, the court said: “We are worried about society and its safety as well. Your fundamental rights cannot be enforced at the cost of others. Look at the kind of allegations you have made against officials.”

His counsel pointed that Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena had recommended a CBI probe against former minister Satyendar Jain based on Chandrasekhar’s complaint, accusing the former AAP MLA of extorting Rs 10 crore “protection money” aside from contributing Rs 50 crore to AAP.

He was earlier transferred from Tihar Jail to Mandoli Jail after he approached the court claiming threat to his life.

The alleged conman and his wife are lodged in jail on charges of alleged money laundering and cheating several people. (with agency inputs)