A fresh challenge for Tihar prison staff: Keeping conman Sukesh safe | Latest News Delhi - Hindustan Times
close_game
close_game

A fresh challenge for Tihar prison staff: Keeping conman Sukesh safe

Jun 26, 2022 01:51 AM IST

Tihar jail officers have put in place several new measures to ensure Chandrashekhar’s safety, and to make it impossible for him to level false allegations of assault to get himself transferred.

A constable of the Tamil Nadu Special Police (TSP) Force stands guard outside a cell in Tihar prison’s jail number 1. He isn’t a part of the prison’s internal security set-up and doesn’t report to any of its officers. Wearing a body camera, he guards just one prisoner, who’s also monitored by two security cameras around the clock. The constable has just one job – making sure that alleged conman Sukesh Chandrashekhar is safe.

It is an anomaly for a single prisoner to have a dedicated guard outside his/her cell.(Representational Image / HT PHOTO)
It is an anomaly for a single prisoner to have a dedicated guard outside his/her cell.(Representational Image / HT PHOTO)

Tihar jail officers have put in place several new measures to ensure Chandrashekhar’s safety, and to make it impossible for him to level false allegations of assault to get himself transferred.

Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now.

The 33-year-old had earlier filed a petition in the Supreme Court seeking a transfer from Tihar because of the threat to his life. The Centre, Enforcement Directorate (ED) and jail authorities have objected to shifting him out from Tihar. The Supreme Court will hear the matter on June 30.

That explains the Tamil Nadu Special Police constable.

It explains the armed prison guards who escort Chandrashekhar when he leaves cell to meet his legal counsel or make phone calls.

It explains the separate team of prison officers that virtually monitors his movements through the CCTV cameras.

And it explains why prison doctors monitor his blood pressure and other vitals daily, ensuring to keep records in case they have to be produced before court later.

It is an anomaly for a single prisoner to have a dedicated guard outside his/her cell. Tihar is vastly overcrowded, with around 20,000 inmates against a sanctioned strength of 10,026, but has just around 2,300 staff, which works out to around one worker for every eight prisoners. And, importantly, not all of these 2,300 are prison guards — the number includes hospital staff, officers, clerks, and desk officers.

Senior prison officers who asked not to be named said the alleged conman’s security is high on their priority, especially in the context of Chandrashekhar’s plea in the Supreme Court. He alleged he was assaulted by prison guards but jail authorities deny this.

The prison’s director general, Sandeep Goel in an affidavit last week informed the court that there was no threat to Chandrashekhar’s life. The prison chief said Chandrashekhar was seeking a transfer from Tihar to continue with his illegal activities, which have been curbed in the jail.

ED in its application to court said Chandrashekhar was making excuses about the threats and that Tihar officers had ensured to thwart any future possibility of Chandrashekhar misusing of jail facilities. The Centre on Thursday offered to shift him to Mandoli jail but underlined that there was no need to move him at all.

Prison officers who spoke on condition of anonymity said the threat against Chandrashekhar is from within the system.

“The people who are co-accused in his case are very influential former jail officers, who ran the prison all these years. Until their arrest they were the seasoned jailors, who headed the jails and were doing it for several years. After their arrest, not only were their careers cut short but they are also facing criminal charges and are lodged in the same prison complex. These former jail senior officers are now prisoners. Sukesh Chandrashekhar is the prime accused and also the most important witness in the case,” said a prison officer.

At least two former superintendents, two deputy superintendents and several other warders and assistant superintendents have been arrested in the case. Delhi police are still probing the role of many prison employees who are yet to be arrested, charged or named in the case.

The case itself involves the attempt to extort of 200 crore from industrialist Shivinder Mohan’s wife by posing as a senior government officer. The police investigating the case have mentioned in their case files that the now suspended jail officers were paid a monthly bribe of up to 50 lakh for helping Chandrashekhar inside the jail. he spoofed phone numbers, posed as a senior bureaucrat and called Mohan’s wife Aditi with an offer to bail out her jailed husband.

This is the first case in the jail recent history in which so many senior jail officers were arrested and are now lodged as prisoners.

A second prison officer said that while most prison officers would want Chandrashekhar transferred out of Delhi, this would still be embarrassing for the prison department.

“Chandrashekhar has the habit of offering hefty bribes to some corrupt jail officers who end up taking the risk for monetary gains. A prisoner like that is always bad news so it is better that he is transferred but then if this happens, it will be extremely embarrassing. Only last year, the former promoters of Unitech were transferred out of Tihar because they were misusing facilities by bribing jail officers. Tihar is supposed to be the safest and the strictest jail complex across the country. If a prisoner is unsafe in Tihar then where would he/she be safe anywhere in the country?”.

The officers are also protecting Chandrashekhar from himself.

In April and May, he was on a hunger strike for at least 17 days demanding more visiting hours with his wife. “He had to be put on IV/fluid glucose (intravenous). We started maintaining a log of his vitals. The report was sent to the prison headquarters every day. The medical report did confirm he was not eating. It was a scary time. It is difficult to handle such a prisoner,” a third prison officer said.

Chandrashekhar’s counsel, advocate Anant Malik, said, “While being granted security and protection, he is still lodged at the place where he has allegedly committed the offence. This is an unnatural conflict. The natural consequence of this is a threat to his life and personal liberties. As 81 Tihar prison officials are still under investigation for allegedly taking bribes from Chandrashekhar, he is being targeted and discriminated upon. According to the record, he has named many prison officers. He is in the prison run by same officers, which is unfair and arbitrary.”

Unveiling 'Elections 2024: The Big Picture', a fresh segment in HT's talk show 'The Interview with Kumkum Chadha', where leaders across the political spectrum discuss the upcoming general elections. Watch now!
SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
Share this article
  • ABOUT THE AUTHOR
    author-default-90x90

    Prawesh Lama covers crime, policing, and issues of security in Delhi. Raised in Darjeeling, educated in Mumbai, he also looks at special features on social welfare in the National Capital.

SHARE
Story Saved
Live Score
OPEN APP
Saved Articles
Following
My Reads
Sign out
New Delhi 0C
Friday, March 29, 2024
Start 14 Days Free Trial Subscribe Now
Follow Us On