Sandeep Goel, the Director General of Prisons, has been transferred from the Tihar Jail in the national capital, only days after imprisoned conman Sukesh Chandrashekhar alleged that he had paid protection money to Delhi minister Satyendar Jain. The 1989 batch AGMUT cadre officer has been transferred from Tihar Jail and instructed to report to PHQ for further orders, according to a formal order issued on Friday, November 4.
1989 batch IPS officer Sanjay Beniwal has been appointed as the new DG (Prisons). The AGMUT cadre officer was posted as Special Police Commissioner of the Perception Management and Media Cell in-charge in Delhi Police.
In a letter to Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena, conman Sukesh Chandrashekhar made the accusation that AAP leader and Delhi cabinet minister Satyendar Jain extorted Rs 10 crore from him in 2019 to secure his safety in jail. The shocking charges against the AAP leader were made in a letter that Chandrashekhar addressed to the L-G on October 8 through his attorney Ashok K Singh. Sukesh Chandrashekhar is now being held in Mandoli jail in connection with a case involving the money laundering of Rs 200 crore.
According to the letter, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) received more than Rs 50 crore with the understanding that they would offer Chandrashekhar a key position in the South Zone of the party and support his nomination to the Rajya Sabha. Chandrashekhar also claimed that Jain paid him a visit while he was being held in Tihar jail as a result of his detention in 2017 for the two-leaf symbol corruption case.
Tihar Jail is run by the Department of Delhi Prisons under the Government of Delhi. Satyendar Jain held the portfolio of the jail ministry. Sukesh Chandrashekhar alleged that the minister asked him if he had disclosed anything to the probe agency related to his contribution to the AAP.
Chandrashekhar wrote in his letter, “In 2019 again I was visited by Satyendar Jain and his secretary and his close friend Sushil in jail, asking me to pay Rs 2 crore every month to him as protection money to live safely in jail, and to get even basic facilities. Jain asked me to pay Rs 1.50 crore to DG prison Sandeep Goel, who, he said, was a loyal associate of his. He forced me to pay and an amount of Rs 10 crore was extorted from me through constant pressure in a matter of two-three months.” Additionally, he said that Jain’s colleagues in Kolkata were employed to collect the money.
Sukesh Chandrashekhar alleged that a total amount of Rs 10 crore was paid to Satyendar Jain, and Rs 12.50 crore to DG prison Sandeep Goel. He also made it clear that he has already given this information to the Enforcement Directorate.
Chandrashekhar was transferred from Tihar jail to Mandoli jail in Delhi in August of this year, after requesting multiple transfers. He claimed he had received death threats from inside the Tihar jail.
This month, he petitioned the Supreme Court for his release from Mandoli jail. However, the Supreme Court refused to hear his appeal.
Sukesh Chandrashekhar is being investigated by the Delhi Police in connection with an alleged Rs 215 crore criminal conspiracy, embezzlement, and extortion case. The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the Delhi Police had previously filed an FIR against Chandrasekhar for allegedly defrauding the spouses of erstwhile Ranbaxy promoters Shivinder Singh and Malvinder Singh of Rs 215 crore.
