Sukesh’s wife gets partial relief, to stay in jail

New Delhi: Leena Paulose, wife of Sukesh Chandrashekhar accused in several cases, got partial relief from Delhi High Court on Tuesday as it granted her bail in an ED case but not in a Rs 200-crore extortion case.She, along with Sukesh, has been booked under stringent MCOCA in the extortion case. "I have rejected the application in the MCOCA case but allowed it in (ED case)," said Justice Prateek Jalan while dealing with Paulose's bail pleas in the two cases probed by Delhi Police and Enforcement Directorate, respectively.She had sought bail on the grounds of delay in trial, period of custody undergone and parity with other accused in the money laundering case.Her counsel argued that she had already undergone the minimum sentence of three years under Prevention of Money Laundering Act as she had been in custody since Sept 2021. It was also argued that there was a delay on the part of investigation agency ED as the fifth supplementary chargesheet was filed after two years of her arrest, and arguments on the charge commenced after three years of the arrest. Relief was also sought on the ground that she is a woman.Both ED and police opposed the petitions, alleging that she was closely involved in the crime syndicate run by Sukesh. The prosecution also argued that delay in trial was not a ground for consideration of bail in a MCOCA case, alleging that the accused had caused the delay.Police booked the couple for allegedly duping the wives of former promoters of Ranbaxy, Shivinder Singh and Malvinder Singh, of Rs 200 crore and alleged that Sukesh and his associates reportedly took money from Shivinder’s wife, Aditi Singh, by posing as govt officials and promising to secure bail for Shivinder, who was in jail in a money laundering case.Several separate investigations against Sukesh are underway. Police have invoked Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act, citing use of hawala and shell companies to park the money received as proceeds of crime.