MHA approves CBI probe against AAP’s Satyedar Jain in Sukesh’s extortion complaint
Satyenar Jain -- arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in May 2022 and behind bars in connection with a money laundering case -- was accused of extorting Rs 10 crore from alleged conman Sukesh Chandrashekhar for providing him protection inside jail.
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The ministry, on March 22, approved the inquiry after which Delhi Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena forwarded the file to the Chief Secretary for further appropriate action, an official confirmed. (File Photo)The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has given its approval for a CBI probe against former Delhi Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Satyendar Jain in a matter under the Prevention of Corruption Act.
Jain — arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in May 2022 and behind bars in connection with a money laundering case –– was accused of extorting Rs 10 crore from alleged conman Sukesh Chandrashekhar for providing him protection inside jail.
The ministry, on March 22, approved the inquiry after which Delhi Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena forwarded the file to the Chief Secretary for further appropriate action, an official confirmed.
Sukesh, lodged in Tihar jail in a money laundering case, alleged in his complaint that Jain had extorted Rs 10 crore from him between 2018 and 2021, either personally or through his accomplices, as protection money to help him live peacefully and comfortably in different jails of Delhi. It was also alleged that some jail officials had allegedly extorted Rs 12.50 crore from him in installments during 2019-22.
After Sukesh filed the complaint, the CBI began looking into the matter and sought sanction from the competent authority to prosecute the former minister under the Prevention of Corruption Act.
Apart from Jain, former Director-General (Prisons) Sandeep Goel and other staff members were charged with allegedly demanding and extorting protection money from high-profile inmates in Delhi’s prisons.
In 2022, the MHA had suspended Goel, days after a three-member panel formed by L-G Saxena recommended departmental proceedings against him for allegedly extending VIP treatment to Jain.
In response, AAP spokesperson Priyanka Kakkar alleged that “the vindictive and vendetta-filled politics of BJP has reached a new low that a notorious conman’s word is believed and accepted as gospel truth against a person who gave the world-famous mohalla clinic concept to Delhi”.
Pointing out that law and order of Delhi is completely under the Centre, she added, “Doesn’t conman Sukesh know that in Delhi, only the Lieutenant Governor… has the authority to give him protection by taking the alleged Rs 10 crore?… For a free and fair investigation, inquiry must also be initiated on the L-G who, according to the prison jail manual, is liable for the safety & security of the inmates, and protection money, if any, could only have been given to the L-G.”
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