SC seeks Centre replies on plea of Sukesh, his wife for shifting them from jail

The Supreme Court on Monday expressed unhappiness over alleged conman Sukesh Chandrashekhar repeatedly filling pleas saying affordability is no reason to file multiple petitionsTwo petitions by Chandrashekhar and his wife Leena Paulose were listed before the apex court on Monday including one in which they sought transfer from Mandoli jail here claiming a threat to their lifeTheir counsel said Chandrashekhar was assaulted in jail and they are willing to go to any other prison in the country including in Andaman and NicobarA bench of justices Ajay Rastogi and CT Ravikumar sought the response of the Centre and the Delhi government within a week on the pleaThe bench however dismissed the second petition of Chandrashekhar and his wife in which they sought a 60minute meeting with his lawyers every day and liberty to make a representation to the jail authoritiesOn August 23 the top court had ordered that Chandrashekhar and his wife be shifted from Tihar jail to Mandoli jail in the cityAlso Read PhD student sets himself woman colleague ablaze at Aurangabad universityThe top court had passed the order on a plea filed by the couple alleging a threat to their lives and seeking a transfer to a prison outside DelhiIn the fresh petition Chandrashekhar and his wife through their advocate Ashok K Singh claimed that he was assaulted in Mandoli jail They claimed it is evident from his medical records and they are facing a threat to their lives in the prison hereWhat is this Your client is filing petitions every month Last month we had dismissed his petition and now again he is here We cannot entertain thisAffordability of the litigant is no reason that he can file multiple petitions in the court Just because he can engage senior lawyers he is filing multiple petitions the bench told SinghThe counsel said that his client was compelled to move the court as after the apex courts order on August 23 he was shifted to Mandoli jail where he was assaultedDue to his disclosure statements 82 jail officials are being prosecuted on the orders of Delhis Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena the counsel said citing media reports adding the petitioners fear for their lifeAfter his first disclosure statement to the Enforcement Directorate and Economic Offence Wing EOW of Delhi police a probe was launched against jail officials and after the second disclosure statement 82 jail officials were prosecutedPlease direct them to be shifted to any jail in the country including Andaman and Nicobar they are willing to go wherever the court directs he saidThe bench said that if it directs Chandrashekhar to be shifted to Punjab or any other prison in the country the same thing will happenSomewhere we need to draw a line Its better that you Chandrashekhar remain where you are it saidSingh said that due to his disclosure Director General Prison Sandeep Goel was transferred and new DG Prison Sanjay Beniwal has taken overThe jail officials who are being prosecuted due to my disclosure of extortion Rs 125 crore from me are now threatening me This court had on August 23 shifted me to Mandoli jail but I was assaulted there also he saidSingh added that Chandrashekhar has written to Delhi Lieutenant Governor about the Rs 10 crore extortion made by Delhi minister and AAP leader Satyendra Jain from him in 2019 in exchange for safety in the prison and now he is facing a threat to his life in the jailThe Aam Aadmi Party AAP has denied the allegationsIn the second plea Singh citing Delhi Prison Rules said his client is entitled to a 30minute meeting with a lawyer twice a week but since there are 28 cases against him in six cities his advocates are not able to discuss themIn the second petition he has sought a 60minute meeting every day with the lawyers This court under Article 142 of the Constitution can direct the authorities in the interest of justice He is entitled to legal meetings with his advocates as a constitutional right he saidThe bench asked whether any representation has been made in this regard to the jail authorities to which Singh said that they have moved an application in Patiala House Court but it was rejected and hence they are before the top courtHe said due to multiple cases in different cities he needs to meet his lawyers for 60 minutes every day as against the 30 minutes each twice a week provided under the Delhi Prison RulesThe bench said You cannot get VIP treatment in jail You are a prisoner like any other prisoner Whats in the rules and jail manual have to be followed If you want any relaxation you first give a representation to the authoritiesIt noted that Chandrashekhars earlier petition was dismissed on October 18 and a fresh plea has been filed from Mandoli jailChandrashekhar and his wife are lodged in jail on charges of alleged money laundering and duping several peopleThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and 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