Sukesh’s allegations against Jain serious, probe required, says panel formed by LG

New Delhi: A three-member committee headed by the principal secretary (home), constituted to inquire into the allegations of jailed conman Sukesh Chandrashekhar against jailed minister Satyendar Jain and others, has found the allegations “serious” in nature and recommended investigation by a specialised agency

New Delhi: A three-member committee headed by the principal secretary (home), constituted to inquire into the allegations of jailed conman Sukesh Chandrashekhar against jailed minister Satyendar Jain and others, has found the allegations “serious” in nature and recommended investigation by a specialised agency. During the course of its inquiry, the committee met Chandrashekhar as well as officials of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) investigating the case, according to officials aware of the development.

Jailed conman Sukesh Chandrashekhar. (File)

The committee was formed in November by lieutenant governor (LG) VK Saxena when the conman wrote letters to the LG claiming that he gave ₹60 crore to Satyendra Jain, and also paid Tihar Jail officials as protection money and sought a CBI probe.

An official aware of the matter said during the inquiry, Chandrashekhar reiterated his allegations of giving ₹60 crore to Satyendar Jain ( ₹50 crore for allegedly securing a Rajya Sabha seat from Aam Aadmi Party and ₹10 crore as protection money) and paying another ₹12.50 crore to the then director general (prisons) Sandeep Goel. Jain, also in jail for a money laundering case, was the minister in charge of prisons (the portfolio is now with deputy CM Manish Sisodia).

According to the above quoted official, the committee recorded Chandrashekhar’s statement on November 14 and 15 at Mandoli Jail, where he is currently lodged. The conman said, “Rupees 50 crore was paid in cash to Satyendar Jain at the farm house of Delhi’s transport minister Kailash Gahlot in Asola Mines in four instalments and CM Arvind Kejriwal was fully in the loop as far as these financial transactions were concerned. CM Kejriwal along with Jain and Gahlot also attended the dinner party thrown by me at Hyatt Regency, Bhikaji Kama Place, once I transferred the full amount of ₹50 crore in 2017.”

The committee in its report, which HT has seen, said in view of Chandrashekhar’s detailed statement and serious allegations of threat from jail officials, recommended the transfer of Ved Prakash superintendent (CJ-14 Mandoli Jail), and his colleagues deputy superintendent Deepak and assistant superintendent Ashok Meena, and also the transfer of Anita, the superintendent of the jail where Chandrashekhar’s wife is lodged.

It was not immediately known if the LG was planning to recommend a probe by a specialised agency.

Principal secretary home Ashwini Kumar, who headed the committee, did not respond to calls and messages seeking his reply.

Chandrasekhar is in jail for allegedly cheating and trying to cheat several people. He had written to the LG in the first week of November alleging payments to Jain and Goel. Urging the LG to direct a probe agency to file a case in his complaint, the conman wrote that he was ready to provide a probe agency with all the evidence in support of his claims and to record his statement under Section 164 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC). A statement recorded before a magistrate under 164 CrPC is admissible in court and cannot be retracted.

Later, the LG formed a committee to conduct an inquiry.

Amid allegations of special treatment given to Satyendar Jain inside Tihar, jail superintendent Ajit Kumar was suspended and DG (prisons) Goel was transferred to police headquarters.

The charge has been denied by Delhi chief minister and AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal who termed it “fictional” and an attempt to crush AAP’s rise in Gujarat and other places.

A spokesperson of AAP declined to comment.

Goel also declined to comment.