New Delhi [India] : The Delhi High Court’s Justice Subramonium Prasad on Wednesday recused himself from hearing the plea filed by alleged conman Sukesh Chandrasekhar, seeking additional meetings in jail with his lawyers.
The recusal was due to the multiple legal cases against Chandrasekhar, which could potentially present a conflict of interest or require a different judicial perspective.
Sukesh Chandrashekhar through a plea requested permission to increase his meetings with his legal counsel to five times a week. This request sought an additional three meetings beyond the two meetings per week currently allowed. To support his request, Chandrashekar referred to the Arvind Kejriwal case where he was granted five weekly meetings with his council.
Advocate Anant Malik, representing Chandrasekhar, stated that the petitioner, an undertrial prisoner involved in numerous cases across different jurisdictions, finds the current allowance of virtual meetings insufficient.
Given the complexity and breadth of his legal issues, including high-profile corruption and extortion cases, Chandrasekhar asserted that more frequent consultations with his lawyers are crucial for effectively managing his defence.
The petition further emphasises Chandrasekhar’s personal difficulties, including isolation from his family due to distance and the incarceration of his spouse. This situation increases his distress, underscoring the need for regular and meaningful interactions with his legal counsel.
The petition further stated that the current restrictions on legal consultations violate Chandrasekhar’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 one’s choice.
Chandrashekhar was jailed for allegedly extorting Rs 200 crore from Aditi Singh, the wife of former Fortis Promoter Shivinder Singh, under the pretext of securing bail for her husband