The Supreme Court has rejected a petition from Leena Paulose, wife of alleged conman Sukesh Chandrashekhar, contesting a Delhi High Court decision to postpone her bail appeal in the Rs 200-crore extortion case. A vacation bench of Justices PV Sanjay Kumar and Augustine George Masih emphasized that expedited proceedings in the case could not be demanded.
“Special Leave Petition is dismissed. Pending applications shall also stand dismissed,” the bench declared in its June 14 order.
Paulose had filed an SLP against the High Court’s May 20 order, which had deferred her bail hearing to July. The bench noted that her plea was filed on May 14, with a notice issued on May 20.
“You have been in prison for two years and eight months, as soon as you come to the court you require an order,” the Supreme Court observed. When Paulose’s counsel requested the apex court to speed up proceedings, the bench responded, “Not for us to arrange the board of the High Court.”
According to the prosecution, Chandrashekhar and Paulose have allegedly operated an organized crime syndicate with their associates since 2013, aiming for financial gain through fraud and extortion. Both were arrested by Delhi Police in September 2021 for their alleged involvement in the scam and are currently in judicial custody.