MHA probes ex-DG Prisons Sandeep Goel for VIP treatment to Satyendar Jain: Report

The inquiry is now focused on allegations that Goel provided special facilities to Jain, including assigning specific jail staff to assist him in his barrack.

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has launched a departmental inquiry against former Delhi Director-General (Prisons), Sandeep Goel, for allegedly offering VIP treatment to jailed Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Satyendar Jain in Tihar Jail, according to a report by The Indian Express. The inquiry is being conducted by the Delhi government's home department, which is expected to submit its findings soon.

Goel, a 1989-batch IPS officer from the AGMUT cadre, was suspended on December 21, 2022, after allegations surfaced regarding his conduct. His suspension followed an earlier order from Delhi Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena on November 11, 2022, which directed Goel to report to the Delhi Police Headquarters. Sanjay Beniwal was appointed in his place.

Before Goel's transfer, alleged conman Sukesh Chandrasekhar, accused in a Rs 200-crore extortion case, had claimed that Goel took money from him in exchange for ensuring his safety in prison, The Indian Express report added.

The decision to suspend Goel was based on a report by a committee of principal secretaries from the Delhi government’s home, law, and vigilance departments, which found evidence of “collusion” between Goel and Jain. Jain had been arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on May 31, 2022, in connection with a money laundering case.

The inquiry is now focused on allegations that Goel provided special facilities to Jain, including assigning specific jail staff to assist him in his barrack. Video footage from the ED, cited in the first inquiry, revealed that Goel spent around 50 minutes speaking with Jain in his cell on October 6, 2022, from 6:39 pm to 7:29 pm. This, the committee found, indicated an inappropriate closeness between the two and reflected Goel's "unbecoming conduct." Goel had previously defended himself by claiming that the massage Jain received was for medical reasons, but the committee dismissed this defense.

Additionally, the inquiry found multiple violations of prison rules, including the unauthorized entry of Jain’s family members into the deodhi (security check area) of Jail No. 7, which is strictly restricted under the Delhi Prison Rules, 2018. The committee concluded that these breaches could not have occurred without the support of the jail administration, particularly the superintendent and the DG (Prisons).

Efforts to reach Goel for comment were unsuccessful, writes The Indian Express, and Moneycontrol was unable to independently verify the report.