NEW DELHI: Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena on Wednesday granted approval to the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the Delhi Police for investigating 82 officials of the Delhi Prison Department for their alleged involvement in the organised crime syndicate being run by jailed conman Sukesh Chandrashekhar from Rohini Jail.
Sukesh, currently lodged in Jail No. 3 of the Tihar Jail, was arrested last year for allegedly cheating and extorting money from some high-profile people, including former Fortis Healthcare promoter Shivinder Mohan Singh’s wife Aditi Singh. Many Bollywood actresses and models have been questioned by the Enforcement Directorate for their alleged links with Sukesh.
In April 2021, he was arrested in another money laundering case linked to the 2017 Election Commission bribery case, which allegedly involved a former AIADMK leader and others.
According to the ED, Fernandez and another Bollywood actor Nora Fatehi received luxury cars and other expensive gifts from him. Notably, the ED, recently in an application to Supreme Court, had mentioned that accused Sukesh has repeatedly committed offences, including that of money laundering during his incarceration in jail by subverting the legal system and prison rules with the help of his knowledge of technology and his “ability to con people”.
The EOW had sought permission from ‘competent authority’ to investigate these officials under Section 17(A) of the Prevention of Corruption (POC) Act in a case, which is already being investigated under various sections of the IPC, dealing with extortion, cheating, forgery and criminal conspiracy as well as under special statues, including MCOCA and IT Act by the EOW.
Officials said that the Prison Department directly under the now jailed AAP Minister, Satyendar Jain, has been marred with several serious controversies, including the confiscation of mobile phones from prisoners. Thereafter jamming devices were put in and around various jail premises recently.