New Delhi: Former Delhi Prisons chief Sandeep Goel was on Wednesday suspended by the Ministry of Home Affairs. The action was taken a month after he was transferred and asked to report to Delhi Police Headquarters.
The suspension order was issued last night, news agency ANI reported.
The MHA's action comes as conman Sukesh Chandrashekhar last month made sensational claims that he paid Rs 12.5 crores to Goel as "protection money" for his safety in Mandoli Jail where he is lodged.
Sukesh Chandrashekhar's Allegations
The jailed conman Sukesh Chandrashekhar, who is facing several cases of corruption under the Prevention of Corruption Act and Money Laundering Act had written to the Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena alleging that he was forced to pay Rs 10 crore "protection money" to the Aam Aadmi Party minister Satyender Jain. Chandrashekhar claimed that he had known the AAP leader since 2015.
Chandrashekhar also alleged that he has been receiving threats and was under pressure from Minister Satyendar Jain and Sandeep Goel, the then Director General of Prison, Delhi, over corruption and extortion.
According to PTI, Chandrashekhar claimed in his letter that he was visited by Jain in Tihar jail, where he was lodged after his arrest in 2017 in the 'two leaf symbol corruption case'.
Jain, who held the portfolio of the jail ministry, asked him if he had disclosed anything to the probe agency related to his contribution to the AAP, the conman further stated.
"Thereafter in 2019 again I was visited by Satyendar Jain and his secretary and his close friend Sushil in jail, asking me to pay Rs 2 crore every month to him as protection money to live safely in jail, and to get even basic facilities," he alleged, as quoted by PTI.
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"Jain asked me to pay Rs 1.50 crore to DG prison Sandeep Goel, who, he said, was a loyal associate of his. He forced me to pay and an amount of Rs 10 crore was extorted from me through constant pressure in a matter of two-three months,” he wrote in the letter.
Chandrashekhar claimed that the amounts were collected in Kolkata through Jain's associates.
"Hence a total amount of Rs 10 crore was paid to Satyendar Jain, and Rs 12.50 crore to DG prison Sandeep Goel," he stated, adding that he has already given this information to the Enforcement Directorate.
Tihar Jail is run by the Department of Delhi Prisons under the Government of Delhi.
After the matter came to light, IPS officer Sanjay Beniwal from the 1989 batch was appointed as the Director General (Prisons) of the Tihar Jail in Delhi replacing Goel.
(With Agency Inputs)