New Delhi, August 31: The Delhi High Court held a hearing on Monday regarding a case involving Sukesh Chandrashekhar, who was arrested in a corruption case. The court issued a notice on the maintainability of a plea filed by Sukesh. He is accused of attempting to influence a lower court judge by posing as a Supreme Court judge.
The lower court had already sentenced Sukesh in this matter. Consequently, the Delhi Police raised questions about his plea. The High Court is set to hear this issue again on November 3.
This case dates back to 2017 when Sukesh was in police custody for a corruption case. During this time, he used a police officer’s mobile phone to call Special Judge Poonam Chaudhary, who was overseeing corruption hearings.
According to the prosecution, the caller initially claimed to be the personal secretary of a Supreme Court judge. Subsequently, another individual impersonated a Supreme Court judge, attempting to pressure Judge Poonam Chaudhary into granting bail to Sukesh. The caller provided a contact number for follow-up.
However, Judge Poonam Chaudhary did not succumb to this pressure. Instead of contacting the provided number, she verified the matter with the relevant Supreme Court judge’s office. She learned that no such call had been made, and the person identified as her personal secretary did not work in that office. Following this, a complaint was filed, leading to a police investigation.
After the investigation, a chargesheet was filed against Sukesh. The trial progressed, with several witnesses presented by the prosecution. Judge Poonam Chaudhary also testified in court, detailing how she was pressured to grant bail to Sukesh. Ultimately, the lower court found Sukesh guilty and sentenced him to eight years in prison.
Sukesh Chandrashekhar has approached the Delhi High Court to challenge the lower court’s decision, which found him guilty of attempting to influence a judicial officer while impersonating a Supreme Court judge. However, upon reaching the High Court, a legal question arose regarding the appropriateness of his plea. The Delhi Police argued that since the lower court had already delivered a verdict and imposed a sentence, it would be more appropriate for Sukesh to file an appeal rather than a plea.
The High Court has not yet made a final decision on this matter. It has issued a notice regarding the maintainability of the plea and scheduled the next hearing for November 3.
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