Made society unsafe: Supreme Court junks jail transfer plea by conman Sukesh Chandrasekhar

The Supreme Court on Tuesday dismissed a plea filed by alleged conman Sukesh Chandrashekhar seeking a transfer from Delhi's Mandoli jail to a prison in his home State of Karnataka or a nearby State. .A Bench of Justices Bela Trivedi and PB Varale said Chandrasekhar "made the society unsafe", and the Court has to take into account rights of victims too when the accused files petitions alleging violation of liberty. "He made society so unsafe. Some people should also think about the other side. See what will happen to the victims. Every time, you are harping about rights of accused. Who will think of victims?" the Bench asked.The Court also took strong exception to Chandrasekhar repeatedly filing one writ petition after the other in the matter, terming such a course a misuse of the law. "It may be noted that prior to the filing of this writ petition, three writs were filed not entertained by this court ...We have not expressed any opinion on the merits of the case. However, we cannot resist (from) expressing that the present petitioner (Chandrasekhar) has tried to misuse the process of law by filing writs one after another under guise of changed circumstances. This is abuse of process of law," the Court said.The Court said that Chandrasekhar has enough financial wherewithal and that is why he keeps filing petitions and brings Senior lawyers to argue his cases."There is a limit to the abuse of process of law. You have money and that is why you keep filing such petitions. We will dismiss it with costs ... You are (accused) in 27 cases and you say you are innocent? .. The more you argue, higher will be the cost. He has all the money to hire all the senior counsel," Justice Trivedi remarked..He made society so unsafe. Who will think of victims?Supreme Court.After the order was dictated, Chandrasekhar's counsel urged the Court to remove the adverse observations against him. However, the Bench declined to accede to this request."It is ok. We are harsh. We know that. Everyone cannot be the same . Something has to be said. You can again come back," Justice Trivedi said. .Sukesh Chadrasekhar is among the prime accused in a multi-crore extortion scam, in connection with which he was arrested in 2015. It is alleged that Chandrasekhar and others, including his wife Leena Paulose, used Hawala routes to create shell companies and park money earned from the proceeds of crime.He had approached the Supreme Court seeking a transfer from a prison in Delhi to another State, preferably his home State of Karnataka..When the matter was heard today, Justice Trivedi observed that Chandrasekhar's earlier grievance lay with certain officers of the erstwhile Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)-led Delhi government. Now that the ruling regime has changed (with the BJP winning the recent Assembly elections), he should not have any such grievance remaining, the judge said. "Your grievance was against a Delhi government officer. Now that grievance does not remain anymore," Justice Trivedi said. .Representing Chandrasekhar, Senior Advocate Shoeb Alam maintained that the jail transfer is being sought so that Chandrasekhar's family is closer to him. "This is my right under Article 21 to not be kept away from my family.. . How can I be kept in Delhi where there is no case against me? ... I am not convicted in any case.. I am innocent," Alam argued. .The Bench, however, was not persuaded to intervene..Justice Trivedi said that it is not just the rights of accused persons that matter and the victims of an alleged crime also deserve concern."We are worried about society and its safety also. Your fundamental rights cannot be enforced at the cost of others. Look at the kind of allegations you levelled against the officers!" she said..You have money and that is why you keep filing such petitions. He has all the money to hire all the senior counsel.Supreme Court.Alam urged the Court to consider the plight of his aged parents. He also emphasised that Chandrasekhar is still an undertrial prisoner, and that the criminal charges against him are yet to be proven in trial. "He is only a prisoner at the end of the day. I am an undertrial prisoner. I cannot be pushed to animal existence away from my family.. My 77 year old mother cannot see me," Alam said. "Please see if your mother wants to see you at all like this or not," Justice Trivedi replied. "Please let me come back to this court," Alam persisted. "We will not. After so many proceedings, almost half of the bar was engaged by him," Justice Trivedi said, in turn. "There was a perception created ... there is a difference between media and judicial trial. I am a victim of media trial," Alam again urged. "No, we will not do anything," the judge maintained. "This is clearly not my day," Alam went on to observe, before he again urged the Court to show some mercy to Chandrasekar.However, the Court eventually dismissed the plea. .[Read Live Coverage]