Delhi HC issues notice to Delhi Police on Chandrashekar's bail plea

The Delhi High Court on Thursday issued notice to the Delhi Police on bail plea of S. Chandrashekar, arrested in the Election Commission Two Leaves symbol bribery case, involving All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) leader T.T.V. Dinakaran.

Justice Ashutosh Kumar sought the response along with a status report from the police before the next date of hearing on September 5.

The petition, filed through advocate Gurpreet Singh, alleged that "to the utter surprise and shock, he was subjected to illicit monetary demands", of around Rs. 2 crore by jail authorities.

He urged that he be shifted to a prison other than the high-risk one to be protected from cruelty and torture.

The plea alleged that "he was shifted to the ward occupied by high-risk detainees and convicts endangering his life and that he was subjected to immense psychological pressure."

It further said that two jail officials subjected him to a strip-search in gross violation of his right to live with dignity and that he was subjected to immense humiliation in front of other inmates.

Chandrashekar was denied bail by the high court on June 14 on the ground that the police had seized a fake Rajya Sabha member ID card from his possession which was a "serious threat on Parliament's security".

The Delhi Police Crime Branch had filed an over 700-page chargesheet alleging Chandrashekar, who was arrested on April 16, had conspired with Dinakaran to bribe the Election Commission officials to get the 'two leaves' symbol for the Sasikala-led AIADMK (Amma) faction.