In a significant legal setback, the Supreme Court of India has upheld the Delhi High Court’s decision to deny interim bail to Leena Paulose, wife of infamous conman Sukesh Chandrasekhar. The case revolves around allegations of orchestrating a ₹200 crore extortion scheme, as investigated by the Delhi Police’s Economic Offences Wing.
A bench comprising Justices PV Sanjay Kumar and Augustine George Masih underscored the gravity of the charges leveled against Paulose, rejecting her plea for bail amidst a prolonged trial. The court cited the principle of parity with other accused individuals involved in the case.
“The Special Leave Petition is dismissed, and pending applications shall stand dismissed,” declared the apex court, reinforcing its stance against granting relief to Paulose.
Chandrasekhar, posing as a high-ranking official from the law ministry, allegedly coerced substantial sums from the wives of former Ranbaxy promoters, Shivinder Singh and Malvinder Singh. The funds were purportedly aimed at securing bail for their husbands.
The chargesheet filed by the EOW lists a litany of offenses against Paulose, including various sections of the IPC, the Information Technology Act, and the Maharashtra Control of Organized Crime Act. The investigation highlights the use of Hawala channels and shell companies to launder proceeds from their illicit activities.
This latest denial follows a similar ruling by the Supreme Court last October, which upheld the rejection of bail pleas by the Delhi High Court, asserting the prima facie involvement of Paulose and Chandrasekhar in the alleged offenses.
Legal representation for Paulose, led by Senior Advocate Trideep Pais along with a team of counsels, presented arguments before the apex court seeking relief, yet failed to sway the judicial opinion against the backdrop of compelling evidence and the serious nature of the accusations.
The decision underscores the stringent judicial stance against economic crimes of this magnitude, signaling a pivotal chapter in the ongoing legal saga involving Sukesh Chandrasekhar and his associates.
