New Delhi, Nov 13 (IANS): Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Monday refuted allegation that the former minister Satyendar Jain allegedly extorted money from various high profile prisoners, terming it as ‘mockery of law’.

“CBI has sought L-G’s permission for conducting inquiry against Jain and others based only on the statement of Chandrasekhar, the biggest thug and conman of India,” AAP in a statement said.

"This is nothing but a mockery of law. AAP categorically denies any association, communication let alone any money transaction between Jain and Chandrasekhar or any of his associates," the party said.

Hitting out at the Central government, the party said that since the Modi government has started taking statements of Chandrasekhar as true as 'Satywadi Harishchandra', it should first launch a full-fledged CBI investigation into the claims of Chandrasekhar, who extorted over Rs 200 crore from a business family in 2020 becasue Home Minister Amit Shah asked him to do so.

The remarks from the party came after the CBI, while seeking mandatory sanction from Delhi L-G to proceed against Jain, has alleged that "a high-level corruption and extortion racket" was being run in the jails of Delhi in connivance with then DG Prison Sandeep Goel and then Additional Inspector General of Prisons Mukesh Prasad along with associate officers, private persons and accomplices.

"They worked as a syndicate for the same," the CBI alleged in its letter to L-G dated November 10, seen by IANS.

It said it has "source information" that Jain allegedly "extorted and received Rs 10 crore from jail inmate Chandrashekar in various tranches during 2018-21 either himself or through his accomplices, as protection money," to enable the alleged conman to live a peaceful and comfortable life in jail.

Chandrashekhar is lodged in a jail on charges of money laundering and duping several people.

"Goel and Prasad also extorted and received Rs 12.50 crore from jail inmate Chandrashekar. The amounts were extorted and received by them in various tranches during 2019-22 either themselves or through their accomplices, as protection money, so as to enable inmate Chandrashekar to live peacefully and comfortably in jail," it alleged.

The CBI letter to Saxena said that extortion was also carried out by Goel and Prasad from "other high profile prisoners lodged in jail as protection money" to allow them to live in jail safely and comfortably.

The CBI also alleged that Raj Kumar, the then Jail Superintendent, Central Jail-4, Tihar was a close associate of Goel and aided him in extorting money from Chandrashekar

The CBI also alleged that Jain, Goel, Prasad and Kumar "misused their official positions" as public servants and "extended undue favour and advantage" to Chandrashekar and other high profile inmates in the jails of Delhi "in lieu of valuable considerations from the inmates."

AAP leader Jain is lodged in a Delhi jail in connection with a money laundering case since last year after his arrest in a hawala case.