Rs 200 cr extortion: HC notice to police on Sukesh's MCOCA appeal

The Delhi High Court has issued a notice to the Delhi Police on an appeal filed by Sukesh Chandrasekhar. He is challenging the charges framed against him under the stringent MCOCA in connection with the alleged Rs 200 crore extortion case.

The Delhi High Court on Friday issued notice to the Delhi Police on an appeal filed by Sukesh Chandrasekhar challenging the charges framed against him under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) in connection with the alleged Rs 200 crore extortion case.

Justice Madhu Jain sought a response from the Delhi Police on the appeal and the accompanying stay application. The matter has been listed for hearing on September 23. Advocate Anant Malik appeared for Sukesh Chandrasekhar. Senior Advocate Sanjay Jain, along with Special Public Prosecutor (SPP) Akhand Pratap Singh, appeared for the Delhi Police.

Details of the Appeal

The appeal challenges the trial court's order dated May 30, 2026, by which charges were framed against Sukesh Chandrasekhar on June 3, 2026. He has been charged under Sections 170, 384, 386, 388, 419, 420, 506 and 120B of the Indian Penal Code, Section 66D of the Information Technology Act, and Sections 3(1)(ii), 3(2), 3(3), 3(4), 3(5) and 4 of the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) in connection with a 2021 FIR registered by the Economic Offences Wing, New Delhi.

Grounds for Challenge

The appeal contends that the order framing charges is arbitrary, unlawful, contrary to settled principles of law and was passed without proper application of judicial mind. It further states that, at the stage of framing charges, the trial court was duty-bound to sift and weigh the material on record to determine whether it disclosed grave suspicion against the appellant. Instead, the appeal alleges, the court confined its reasoning to reproducing the contents of the charge sheet in a tabular form and did not adequately consider the submissions advanced on behalf of the appellant.

The appeal has stated that the trial court failed to appreciate the admissibility of evidence, the existence of a syndicate, or the fairness of the investigation itself, and has been disposed of in a single line as a "matter of trial". Since this was the first FIR of the alleged crime syndicate wherein stringent provisions of MCOCA, 1999, were involved, the Trial Court was duty-bound to delve into the birth of the syndicate and had to adjudicate upon the matter at the stage of framing of charge by drawing a clear distinction between special act offences and IPC offences, the plea said.

The Extortion Case

The case pertains to allegations that an amount of Rs 200 crore was extorted from complainant Aditi Singh. (ANI)

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