New Delhi [India], June 17 (ANI): The Supreme Court on Wednesday issued notice to the Delhi government on a plea filed by actor Leena Maria Paulose seeking bail in the ₹200 crore extortion case registered under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) involving her husband, alleged conman Sukesh Chandrasekhar.
A bench of Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M. Pancholi has listed the matter for hearing on July 27.
Earlier, on May 5, the Delhi High Court refused to grant bail to Paulose in the MCOCA case while granting her bail in the connected money laundering case registered by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).
Before the High Court, Paulose had sought bail on the grounds of prolonged incarceration, delay in trial and parity with co-accused who had already been granted bail. Her counsel argued that she has been in custody since September 2021 and has already undergone the minimum sentence of three years prescribed under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). It was further submitted that the ED filed its fifth supplementary chargesheet two years after her arrest and that arguments on the charge commenced only after three years of her incarceration.
The defence also contended that the rigours of Section 45 of the PMLA did not apply to Paulose, as she is a woman, and maintained that she was unaware of her husband’s alleged criminal activities. Her counsel submitted that she has deep roots in society, is an actor and a dentist, and is not a flight risk.
Opposing the plea, the Delhi Police and the ED described Paulose as the “co-head” of an organised crime syndicate allegedly headed by Sukesh Chandrasekhar. They argued that she facilitated the movement of funds, acted as a conduit for proceeds of crime and operated multiple proprietorship bank accounts into which crores of rupees were deposited. The ED also relied on her statement that she had utilised money received from Sukesh to set up a nail artistry business.
The Delhi Police further argued that the twin conditions for bail under MCOCA had not been satisfied and that delay in the trial was attributable to the accused, who had sought repeated adjournments before the trial court. It also opposed the plea for parity, submitting that the bail orders granted to co-accused Pinky Irani and Avtar Singh Kochar are under challenge.
The prosecution additionally submitted that Paulose is not merely the spouse of Sukesh Chandrasekhar but an active participant in the alleged organised crime syndicate and that other FIRs are also pending against her. (ANI)
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