Paid Rs 10 Cr to Satyendar Jain for Protection, Alleges Sukesh Chandrashekhar; Kejriwal Says ‘Ploy to Divert Attention from Morbi’

Jailed conman Sukesh Chandrashekhar has written to Delhi L-G VK Saxena alleging he paid Rs 10 crore to incarcerated Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) minister Satyendar Jain as “protection money" and is being “threatened and harassed" by the minister. AAP chief and Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal brushed it aside, saying “the fact that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has to rely on a conman, as you say he is, shows their sorry state in Gujarat". The BJP, meanwhile, lashed out at the party, calling it “corrupt".

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has initiated a probe into the claims.

In the letter, Chandrashekhar claimed that he knew the AAP leader since 2015. He alleged Rs 50 crore was paid to the AAP as he was promised an important party position in south zone. Chandrashekhar claimed he had disclosed the payments made to Jain, the AAP and also D-G Prisons, to a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) team last month and also filed a petition in Delhi high court seeking a CBI enquiry. He alleged that Jain has been threatening him, asking to withdraw the complaint.

“During investigation, although it had come to light that senior jail officials had taken bribe/protection money from Sukesh, but these facts (related to bribe/protection money to Jain) are absolutely new. The ED has taken the allegations very seriously, and will investigate the matter to core. The ED will shortly question Sukesh Chandrashekhar in the matter," said the ED.

‘JAIN MET ME IN JAIL’

Chandrashekhar is lodged in Delhi’s Mandoli jail in a case of extorting high-profile people and celebrities. Earlier, he was lodged in Tihar jail, but was shifted after his repeated requests. He had claimed that he received death threats from Tihar jail. Jain, meanwhile, is in Tihar jail in connection with a money-laundering case.

?After my arrest in 2017 for the two leaf symbol corruption case, I was lodged in Tihar Jail and was visited by Mr. Satyendar Jain, who holds the Portfolio of Jail min, multiple times, asking me if I had disclosed anything related to my contribution to AAP to the investigating agency which arrested me. Thereafter in 2019 again I was visited by Satyender Jain and his Secretary and his close friend Mr. Sushil in Jail, and asking me to pay Rs. 2 Crores every month to him as protection money to live safely in Jail, and to get even basic facility provided,? the letter stated.

KEJRIWAL?s RESPONSE

Kejriwal said, “Ahead of Punjab elections, they got Kumar Vishwas. When the BJP sensed they were losing Punjab elections, they fired from the shoulders of Kumar Vishwas. Now, in Gujarat, the state of the BJP is so poor that they have to take the help of Sukesh Ranjan. PM Narendra Modi is said to be very popular. When he is so popular, he has to take the help of a conman, (you only said he is a conman) ? once, he has impersonated as a CM?s son, once as a CBI officer, once as a law secretary, once as an officer of the PMO ? He has been made to write something and on the basis of that, they have to fight Gujarat elections.?

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?Day before yesterday, the Morbi tragedy happened. All channels ran the story yesterday and today suddenly Morbi has disappeared from TV screens and all channels are playing the allegations of Sukesh Ranjan. Is this not to divert the attention from Morbi? A completely fictitious, completely false story has been planted. It cannot be more blatant [attempt] to bury the Morbi tragedy and divert attention. And they have done it successfully as all channels are talking about Chandrasekhar and forgotten about Morbi where 150 people died.?

?They alleged that Manish Sisodia has indulged in corruption in liquor case. They have deployed 800 officers. They found nothing. They alleged that we indulged in corruption in procuring buses, they got nothing. None of their allegations have been backed with proof. All their allegations are a figment of their imaginations, all are false.?

CONCERNS GRAVE: LAWYER

Speaking to CNN-News18 over the phone, Chandrashekhar’s lawyer AK Singh said: “The concerns raised in the letter are grave in nature. After this letter to the L-G, a probe was ordered against 82 jail officials. My client had a complaint to file and we did that …We want an independent probe… I have an objection to my client being called ?conman?."

REACTION

Sunil Yadav, vice-president, Bharatiya Janata Party’s Delhi unit, tweeted: “The Aam Aadmi Party and Arvind Kejriwal who came into politics to eradicate corruption, today they have completely indulged in corruption. Be it liquor policy or illegal recovery. These people are not failing to do corruption in jail."

BJP?s Manjinder Singh Sirsa said ?Kejriwal was exposed?.

Delhi BJP chief Adesh Gupta called AAP ?vasooli party?.

‘JAIN GETS SPECIAL TREATMENT IN JAIL’

Jain is being given “special treatment" inside Tihar Jail, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) told a special Delhi court in an affidavit.

The ED has submitted CCTV footage that shows an unknown person giving a foot, and body massage to Jain inside his cell in the presence of three other unknown persons. The unknown masseuse also delivers some documents to and from the accused petitioner in a suspicious/clandestine manner.

Additionally, the ED has said that Jain was provided with fresh-cut fruits/green salad by some unknown person directly in his cell. The CCTV footage shows an unknown person sitting with him and having discussions inside his cell. The ED also submitted that the cell of Jain is being cleaned, mopped, and broomed by an unknown person under the supervision of co-accused Ankush Jain.

In April, the ED had attached assets worth Rs. 4.81 crore linked to Jain and his family.

It is alleged that when Jain was a public servant, companies owned and controlled by him received up to Rs. 4.81 crore from shell companies through the hawala network. He was arrested on May 31.

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