Delhi cops raid 37 places after SC probe order into Tihar officials, Unitech ex-promoters 'collusion'

The Delhi Police on Monday raided 37 locations in Haryana, Rajasthan and the national capital, days after the Supreme Court directed a probe into the alleged collusion of Tihar Jail officials with Unitech's imprisoned ex-promoters Sanjay and Ajay Chandra.

In a statement, Delhi Police PRO Chinmoy Biswal said the Crime Branch teams conducted searches and seizure operations at the premises of Unitech founder Ramesh Chandra and the firm's imprisoned ex-promoters Ajay Chandra and Sanjay Chandra and their employees, as well as officials of Tihar jail.

These searches and seizure operations were carried out at by 37 teams at 37 different locations in Delhi, Haryana and Rajasthan, he said.

Searches and seizures were conducted at the residences of former superintendent of Tihar jail number seven, former deputy superintendent, assistant superintendents, head warders and contractual staff of Tihar Jail, he added.

"The crime branch team probing the case collected evidence in the form of mobile phones and have also seized essential documents. Further investigation is in progress," the statement quoting Biswal stated.

The Supreme Court had on October 6 directed suspension of Tihar jail officials, registration of case against them and full-fledged probe into their collusion with Sanjay and Ajay Chandra, based on Delhi Police Commissioner Rakesh Asthana's report.

Following this, the Delhi Police's Crime Branch had on October 12 registered a case after 32 officials of Tihar Jail were found complicit with Unitech's two ex-promoters. The FIR was registered under relevant sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act and the Indian Penal Code, and investigation was taken up.

The former Unitech promoters had been shifted from the Tihar Jail here to Mumbai's Arthur Road Jail and Taloja Central Jail, following the Supreme Court order.

On Supreme Court's direction, the Delhi Prisons Department had suspended 28 jail officials after they were found to be complicit with Unitech's imprisoned ex-promoters Ajay Chandra and Sanjay Chandra.

According to jail administration, 28 officials of Tihar Jail number seven had been suspended while the services of two contractual employees were terminated. Two other officials were also suspended by the Delhi government.