Sukesh Chandrasekhar had allegedly taken money from TTV Dinakaran to bribe EC officials
Custodial violence will not be tolerated, the Delhi High Court today said while directing Tihar Jail authorities to ensure that Sukesh Chandrasekhar, who is accused in the Election Commission bribery case, is not tortured in custody.
Justice Ashutosh Kumar also issued a notice to the AAP government and the DG Prison of Tihar Jail and asked them to file a status report on a plea alleging that Mr Chandrasekhar was strip-searched by jail officials while he was lodged in a high-risk ward.
Mr Chandrasekhar was arrested in connection with the Election Commission bribery case involving AIADMK (Amma) faction leader TTV Dhinakaran.
The court further sought to know from jail authorities why the accused was kept in a high-risk cell despite the fact that the same was meant for dangerous criminals.
Addressing the Tihar Jail authorities, the notice said "You need to explain to this court that why the person was kept in such a cell. We need to know all details, mere status report denying the allegation will not work."
"Serious allegation has been raised of custodial violence which cannot be tolerated at all," the court said and listed the matter for hearing on August 22.
Recently the Delhi Police Crime Branch has filed a charge sheet of over 700-pages alleging that Mr Dhinakaran and Mr Chandrasekhar, who was arrested on April 16, had conspired to bribe the Election Commission (EC) officials to get the 'two leaves' symbol for their party.
The police had also told the trial court that a supplementary final report would be filed later against other accused -- Mr Dhinakaran's close aide TP Mallikarjuna, suspected hawala operators Nathu Singh and Lalit Kumar -- who are out on bail, after completing the probe against them.
Sukesh Chandrasekar was arrested for allegedly taking money from TTV Dinakaran to bribe EC officials to get the AIADMK's 'two leaves' symbol for the Sasikala faction.
According to the police, they had allegedly recovered cash worth Rs 1.3 crore from him at the time of the raid at a hotel in Chanakyapuri area of South Delhi.