New Delhi, Delhi Police on Monday raised an objection in the Delhi High Court over the maintainability of a plea by alleged conman Sukesh Chandrasekhar against a trial court decision convicting him for impersonating a Supreme Court judge to influence a special judge for bail in a 2017 corruption case.
Justice Madhu Jain said the court would hear arguments on the maintainability of the petition on November 3.
The police contended that Chandrasekhar’s plea, seeking deletion of certain “derogatory” remarks made by the trial court on his character in its judgment, was not maintainable since he filed it based on the conviction verdict and instead he should file an appeal raising the issue. The counsel for Delhi Police said the trial court has now passed the sentencing order and Chandrasekhar should file an appeal challenging his conviction and punishment and should raise all the issues there. He obtained access to the mobile phone of police constable Manjeet and used it to contact the official landline and mobile phone of Poonam Chaudhary, then a special judge dealing with Prevention of Corruption Act cases, according to the prosecution.
During the hearing, Chandrasekhar’s lawyer submitted that he was seeking the setting aside of the “derogatory” remarks made in the judgment because there are other cases pending against him and such remarks would prejudice his rights. On August 20, the trial court held Chandrasekhar guilty of the offences under IPC sections 170 , 189 and 507 , and described his crime as a “direct affront” to the independence and sanctity of the judicial process.
The trial court awarded Chandrasekhar eight years’ rigorous imprisonment in the case.
