Delhi top cop begins probe into Unitech promoters’ violation of prison rules, visits Tihar
Officials privy to the matter also said that Rakesh Asthana visited the prison complex a few days ago for a spot visit to jail number 7, where the Chandra brothers were lodged until August 28 morning.
Delhi Police commissioner Rakesh Asthana has recorded the statements of at least three Tihar jail superintendents, four deputy superintendents and other prison officers in connection with the investigation into allegations that jailed Unitech ex-promoters Sanjay Chandra and Ajay Chandra violated prison rules and ran a “secret underground office” in south Delhi from inside Tihar jail with the help of jail officers, officials aware of the development said.
The Supreme Court on August 26 ordered the Delhi Police commissioner to personally look into the role of prison officials in the case. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) which is probing cases against the former Unitech bosses told the apex court about alleged irregularities.
On the orders of the court, one of the Chandra brothers has been shifted to the Arthur Road Jail and the other to Taloja jail in Maharashtra.
Last week, the jail officials were called to the Delhi Police headquarters and questioned by Asthana.
Officials privy to the matter also said that Asthana visited the prison complex a few days ago for a spot visit to jail number 7, where the Chandra brothers were lodged until August 28 morning.
To be sure, the officers questioned are yet to be named as an accused in the case. Their statements were recorded as part of the inquiry, officials quoted above said.
A prison officer, who asked not to be named, said, “Two weeks ago, a team of officers came to jail number 7 where the Unitech brothers were lodged. The officers took records of the two men’s stay inside the prison. Before the team came to Tihar, the commissioner’s office also wrote to the prison’s director-general seeking details of officers posted in jail number 7. After gathering the relevant documents, the superintendents were called to police headquarters. Each one of them was questioned by the commissioner. After that, he came to inspect jail 7, where they were lodged.”
Delhi Police are likely to submit the findings of the inquiry to the Supreme Court on Friday.
The Chandra brothers were arrested in April 2017 for duping homebuyers in 74 Unitech projects.
The two were also being probed by the ED. In a report to the apex court last month, the ED said the two men used the prison complex to transfer the “proceeds of crime”, and were instructing their people outside to dispose of their properties. The ED said that it also unearthed a secret underground office’ in Delhi, which was being operated by erstwhile Unitech founder Ramesh Chandra, and was visited by his two sons – Sanjay and Ajay – when they were on parole or bail.
A second prison officer, who too asked not to be named, said, “The police chief wanted details of how Sanjay and Ajay Chandra got access to cell phones and a desktop in prison. The officials from jail 7 have submitted the court orders on the basis of which the facility was given to them so that they could sell their property and return money to the homebuyers.”
Jail officials said that the facility was stopped by the courts in May 2019. Police are checking if the two men provided fake court orders to the prison department post-May 2019, and are also probing if jail officers were negligent in checking the authenticity of the papers.
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