IPS Officer Sanjay Beniwal Replaces Sandeep Goel As Tihar Jail DG (Prisons)
Sanjay Beniwal replaces Sandeep Goel as the new DG (Prisons) of Tihar Jail after conman Sukesh Chandrashekhar accused the latter of extorting over Rs 12 crore as "protection money".
New Delhi: IPS officer Sanjay Beniwal from the 1989 batch has been appointed as the new Director General (Prisons) of the Tihar Jail in Delhi. This comes after former DG (Prisons) Sandeep Goel was transferred as jailed conman Sukesh Chandrashekhar accused him of extorting over Rs 12 crore as "protection money".
According to an official order issued on Friday, the 1989 batch Arunachal Pradesh-Goa-Mizoram and Union Territory (AGMUT) officer has been transferred from Tihar Jail and asked to report to PHQ for further orders, news agency PTI reported.
"Sanjay Beniwal, the 1989 batch IPS officer, is the new DG (Prisons) of Tihar Jail," the order stated.
According to an Indian Express report, Beniwal was promoted to the DGP Grade (Level 16 in the pay matrix) in the AGMUT cadre. He joined the Chandigarh Police on deputation of two years in June 2018, where his tenure ended in June 2020
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 Director General of Prison, Delhi, on 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.
"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.
(With agency inputs)
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