New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Tuesday asked the jail authorities to treat a plea by alleged conman Sukesh Chandrashekhar, who is facing cheating, money laundering, bribery case involving certain politicians and extortion cases and is currently lodged in Mandoli Jail in the national capital, seeking five virtual meetings with his lawyer every week as representation and take a decision on his request.
Sukesh Chandrashekhar sought a direction to have five virtual meetings with his lawyer every week
Justice Amit Mahajan asked this to jail authorities while hearing a plea by Sukesh Chandrashekhar, who sought direction to the jail authorities to allow him to have five virtual meetings with his lawyer every week instead of current provision of two virtual meetings of 45 minutes per week.
Sukesh Chandrashekhar relied on the case of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal who was allowed five meetings with his lawyer
Sukesh Chandrashekhar relied on the case of Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor Arvind Kejriwal, who was recently allowed by the High Court to have additional virtual meetings with his lawyer.
Limited virtual meetings are inadequate for managing complex and extensive legal matters I face: Sukesh Chandrashekhar
“The petitioner, an undertrial prisoner involved in multiple cases across various jurisdictions, contends that the limited virtual meetings are inadequate for managing the complex and extensive legal matters he faces. The petitioner’s involvement in high-profile cases, including those concerning corruption and extortion allegations, underscores the necessity for increased legal consultations,” Sukesh Chandrashekhar said in his plea.
Given complexity and breadth of legal matters, I require comprehensive legal consultations: Sukesh Chandrashekhar
Sukesh Chandrashekhar has said in his plea that the limited opportunity for only two virtual meetings is insufficient to adequately address the status and intricacies of the numerous cases pending in various states and cities across the country. He has further said that he is currently engaged in litigation proceedings across multiple jurisdictions, including Bangalore, Chennai, Madurai, Coimbatore, Mumbai and Delhi and given the complexity and breadth of these legal matters, he requires comprehensive legal consultations with his counsels.
“The petition further highlights the petitioner’s significant personal challenges, including his isolation from family due to geographical distance and the incarceration of his spouse. The petitioner’s distress is exacerbated by the lack of personal support and meaningful interaction with the outside world, which emphasizes the importance of maintaining frequent and substantive consultations with his counsel. Additionally, the petition asserts that the restriction in legal consultations breaches the petitioner’s fundamental rights under Article 22(1) of the Constitution of India, which guarantees the right to consult and be defended by a legal practitioner of choice,” Sukesh Chandrashekhar’s plea further said.
