The Delhi High Court has dismissed alleged conman Sukesh Chandrashekhar’s plea challenging his potential transfer from Mandoli Jail to another prison.
The court stated, “We do not find any necessity for issuing directions for not transferring the petitioner to other jails if so necessitated for administrative reasons.”
Sukesh had requested that jail officials be instructed not to transfer him from Jail No. 13 in Mandoli, citing Rule 667(1) of the Delhi Prison Rules, 2018. He also sought a four-day advance notice before any such transfer. In his plea, Sukesh argued that he suffers from multiple health issues, including gallbladder stones, requiring treatment at Safdarjung Hospital and RML Hospital. He claimed that a transfer would disrupt his ongoing medical care.
Justice Neena Bansal Krishna, in a recent ruling, noted that Sukesh has been treated for his ailments at external hospitals as needed. The court acknowledged that he is undergoing psychiatric treatment for anxiety and his condition is currently stable. Importantly, the court pointed out that Central Jail, Tihar, also offers psychiatric facilities.
The court emphasized that any directives affecting jail administration should only be issued in cases of compelling need or evidence of bad faith on the part of the jail administration. No such grounds were evident in Sukesh’s case, especially since he had previously filed a writ petition requesting the transfer of a specific official from Jail No. 13.
Given that the necessary medical treatments can be provided at other jail facilities, the court found no justification for preventing Sukesh’s transfer for administrative reasons. However, it ordered that he must receive a 3-days notice before any transfer.
In related developments, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) recently recorded Sukesh Chandrashekhar’s statement concerning an alleged extortion racket operating within Delhi’s prisons. Following the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi’s approval, the CBI initiated a preliminary inquiry into Sukesh’s claims regarding this extortion racket.
In 2021, he was accused of extorting ₹200 crores from the wife of an industrialist through a series of calls, intensifying the seriousness of the case.
