Journalism of Courage
Conman Sukesh Chandrashekhar has been shifted to another jail in Tihar while three officials, including two assistant superintendents, have been sent to the district lines of the jail headquarters after authorities found that one of them allegedly received Rs 1.25 lakh from Sukesh.
An initial probe revealed that instead of transferring the money directly, Sukesh allegedly sent it via a bank account of an inmate’s brother.
DG (Prisons) Sandeep Goel told The Indian Express that they have transferred Sukesh from jail 4 to jail 1: “We have also transferred three jail staffers to the headquarters and initiated an enquiry against them.”
Last month, the Delhi Police had asked the jail administration to allow it to probe 82 officials and staff of Rohini jail under the Prevention of Corruption Act after seven officials were arrested for allegedly helping Sukesh extort Rs 200 crore from former Fortis Healthcare promoter Shivinder Singh’s wife Aditi Singh.
Sources said the latest incident came to light last month after the administration uncovered financial transactions between the officials and Sukesh. As they were unable to ascertain how the money exchanged hands, officials shifted Sukesh from jail 4 as a precautionary measure and questioned the staffers.
During enquiry, jail officials found that an inmate’s brother had received Rs 1.25 lakh in his account. “Officials then questioned the inmate, who told them an assistant jail superintendent had taken the account details. When the latter was questioned, he confessed to having taken money from Sukesh,” an official said.
He alleged that two more staffers also took their share from the amount. “The assistant jail superintendent said Sukesh offered them money of his own accord. We suspect that he was luring him,” the official said.
Police had earlier claimed that Sukesh paid around Rs 25-30 crore to jail staff to secure an entire barrack for himself.
Police said CCTV footage from 10 cameras installed in Rohini jail from July 14 to August 14, 2021, was collected and these covered Ward No. 3 and Barrack No. 204 where Sukesh was lodged. “It was found that the CCTVs in Sukesh’s barrack were completely blocked by curtains and a mineral water bottle box placed in front of the camera,” DCP Mohammad Ali wrote in his letter asking Tihar Jail to grant approval under Section 17 (A) of PoC Act to conduct an enquiry/investigation against officials of Rohini jail No. 10.
“No action was taken to remove the object from the view of camera. For this facilitation, jail officials got a hefty amount out of the crime proceeds from Sukesh and his associates. Entries made in the CCTV register by warder Neeraj Maan, deployed at the CCTV control room at Rohini jail, in this regard were not only ignored but Maan was also put under pressure and discouraged from making such entries by senior jail officials. This clearly established that the staff, including senior officers in Rohini jail no 10, connived with Sukesh and helped him carry out his criminal activities from inside, making it a haven for Sukesh,” DCP Ali said.
