From Our Bureau
NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Thursday adjourned till July 13, two days after the summer vacation, the hearing of the writ petition filed by alleged conman Sukesh Chandrashekhar of Bengaluru and his wife Leena Paulose, seeint their transfer from Tihar Jails to a prison outside Delhi, saying there is no urgency.
A vacation bench comprising Justices Surya Kant and JB Pardiwala adjourned the matter after noting that the affidavit filed by the petitioners in response to the Enforcement Directorate’s statement was not yet on record. The conman’s senior lawyer R Basant requested a near date, but the bench declined.
Justice Kant asked Additional Solicitor General SV Raju if Bhondsi jail in Gurugram can be considered as an option. The ASG replied that it was not a viable option.
Sukesh has filed the writ petition under Article 32 of the Constitution of India alleging that officials in Tihar are torturing him for not meeting their demand of money. The ED has opposed the allegations and have said that Sukesh was operating his extortion racket from the jail with the connivance of certain officials, against whom action has now been taken.
The Director General (Prisons), Delhi has filed an affidavit stating that the conduct of Sukesh Chandrashekhar in jail was unsatisfactory and he was found deliberately vioilating the prison rules. On his allegation of assault within the jail, the affidavit said his medical examination on May 17 did not report any external injuries to him and he is safe and secure in the custody with a round-the-clock CCTV surveillance.
