Read Time: 06 minutes

A Supreme Court bench of Justices JK Maheshwari and Hima Kohli on Friday refused to entertain a plea by alleged conman Sukesh Chandrashekar’s wife, Leena Paulose seeking bail to attend her nephew’s baptism.

Paulose had moved the Delhi High Court thrice seeking similar relief. On February 23, 2022 her counsel had argued before the High Court that the Baptism ceremony was scheduled to be held on February 12, 2022 and there was a possibility that the ceremony could be postponed. The court had observed that the earlier bail application was withdrawn by her counsel with liberty to approach the competent Court after the date of Baptism of Petitioner's nephew is fixed.

The High Court had noted that Paulose approached the Trial Court by filing an application for one-day custody parole stating that her nephew's Baptism ceremony was fixed for February 20, 2022. It had also pointed out that the bail application was dismissed by the Patiala House Court.

The Delhi High Court, in its order, had observed that it was stated then that Baptism ceremony of Paulose’s nephew was on February 27, 2022.

Justice Prasad of High Court had taken note of the fact that the Baptism ceremony of Paulose’s nephew was being shifted with a view to obtain bail. Paulose’s counsel had informed the court that the Baptism ceremony was held 50 days after the period of lent was over. It was also opined that the police did not have sufficient time to verify whether the function was taking place that day or not, hence the plea could not be entertained. The counsel for Paulose thus chose to withdraw the plea before the Delhi High Court with a liberty to approach the competent Court by filing a fresh application for bail.

In May 2022, Paulose again moved a plea before the Delhi High Court for bail on the ground that she has to attend her nephew’s Baptism ceremony. However, her counsel confined the sought relief to a direction to the jail authorities to permit her to attend the baptism of her nephew by video conference on May 8, 2022. The High Court disposed off the plea by granting her a permission to attend the ceremony through video conference.

Paulose then moved the Supreme Court against this order of the High Court. Arjit Prasad, Sr. Adv, appearing for Paulose sought a day’s custody parole to attend her nephew’s Baptism. When the court expressed that it is not inclined to grant any such relief, he requested the court to permit him to withdraw the plea and move the same at an appropriate time before an appropriate forum. The court thus permitted him to withdraw the plea.

According to sources, Leena Paulose, is a master con woman and strategist, as well as the brains and key factor behind the schemes created to launder the proceeds of crime by her husband Sukash Chandrashekar. Paulose has been chargesheeted by Enforcement Directorate for a Rs.200 crore money laundering case.

Case title: Leena Paulose Vs Enforcement Directorate