The Supreme Court of India consulted with both the federal and Delhi governments on Monday concerning convicted conman Sukesh Chandrashekhar's plea to be shifted from the Mandoli jail in Delhi to another prison.
The court has asked the government to reply within one week.
The conman has filed two petitions, claiming that he was assaulted in Mandoli jail and is facing threats to his life for writing letters to Delhi Lieutenant Governor (LG) V. K. Saxena in which he paid INR 100 million ($1,222,147) to jailed Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Minister Satyendar Jain as “protection money” in 2019 to ensure his safety.
The top court’s bench is likewise considering a plea on increasing his lawyer's visiting hours.
Chandrashekhar argued that 28 cases are pending against him in six cities across the country for which he needs to meet his lawyers for 60 minutes every day. The Delhi jail reportedly grants him just 30 minutes twice a week.
The conman was shifted to Mandoli jail from Tihar jail on August 23 following similar claims of threats against his life.
At the time, however, the court refused to accede his request to be transferred to a prison outside Delhi after taking into consideration an affidavit filed by the Enforcement Directorate in opposition: “[The transfer] was only to carry out his nefarious activities from there as he was finding it difficult to carry out the same from Tihar jail”.