Extortion Case: Court Extends Leena Paul’s Remand

The Delhi Court on Saturday extended the remand of actress Leena Maria Paul, wife of Conman Sukesh Chandrashekhar in connection with a money laundering case worth Rs 200 crore to establish the money trail of the proceeds of crime.

Additional Sessions Judge Praveen Singh while extending the Enforcement Directorate (ED) remand of Leena Maria Paul for a further period of seven days noted that accused Paul was not merely beneficiary of proceeds of crime but was playing an active role in moving the POC, its projection as untainted money and was working in counsel with main accused Sukesh.

The Court noted that money was being moved at her instructions, the trial is still unknown if the ED is not granted custody, the money trail which is currently unknown would go cold.

While opposing the further police remand being requested by Enforcement Directorates, Leena’s lawyer prayed to the court that the interrogation may take place in jail.

The court while allowing ED application orally observed that Sukesh Chandrashekhar literally owned the Jails.

Earlier, the court also took notice that at the time of the incident, Chandrasekhar was lodged in Delhi’s Rohini jail and was running an extortion racket from behind the bars.

Special Public Prosecutor Atul Tripathi, appeared before Enforcement Directorate (ED) while sought further seven custody of accused Leena Maria Paul submitted that, “variety of roles of accused is coming out. Firstly, we thought that she had only enjoyed the proceeds of the crime but later, we found that she was not using the money, rather was moving the money.”

She was a part of the activities in which her husband (Sukesh Chandrashekhar) was indulged, ED submitted.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED), a financial probe agency, has recently arrested them under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in the extortion racket which was being run from a Delhi jail. Two co-accused Pradeep Ramdani and Deepak Ramnani have been also arrested by the ED in case.

According to ED, during the investigation, searches were conducted at various places linked to Sukesh Chandrashekar and his associates. During the search, 16 high-end vehicles were seized under section 17 PMLA and these cars are either in the name of firms of Leena Paulose or in the name of third parties.

It is further submitted that it has emerged that Sukesh knowingly created the structure for layering and transferring proceeds of crime and thus, actively participated in the process of money laundering.

Sukesh and Leena Maria Paul along with several others accused were earlier arrested by Delhi Police. The police have recently also invoked the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) in the case.

Delhi Police had alleged that Leena, Sukesh with others used Hawala routes, created Shell companies to park the money earned from proceeds of crime.

Delhi Police’s Economic Offences Wing (EOW) had registered an FIR against Chandrasekhar for allegedly duping the spouses of former promoters of Ranbaxy, Shivinder Singh, and Malvinder Singh, of Rs 200 crore besides ongoing investigations against him in several cases across the country. (ANI)