Sukesh Chandrasekhar Threatens ₹100 Crore Suit Against Ex-Tihar 'Jiddi Jailer' Ajay Bhatia

Sukesh Chandrasekhar, through his legal representatives Anantam Legal, has served a formal legal notice on retired Tihar Jail officer Ajay Bhatia over a series of video interviews broadcast by NDTV and published by State Mirror Hindi on October 29 and 30, 2026.

The legal notice, dated November 4, 2026, demands an unconditional public apology, immediate removal of the disputed content and a permanent halt to public commentary on Chandrasekhar's sub-judice matters. Bhatia has been given seven days to comply with the demands, failing which Chandrasekhar's legal team has threatened to initiate civil and criminal proceedings.

According to the notice, failure to comply will result in a ₹100 crore damages suit before the Original Side of the Delhi High Court, along with criminal defamation proceedings under Section 356 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, and an application under the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971.

Notice challenges claims of 2017-18 prison raid

One of the key objections raised in the notice concerns Bhatia's reported claim that he personally conducted a raid inside Tihar Jail in 2017-18 and recovered luxury items.

Chandrasekhar's legal team has questioned the factual basis of the claim, arguing that an authorised prison search should generate official documentation, including seizure memos, register entries and reports.

The notice has demanded that Bhatia produce the relevant official records to substantiate his statements or acknowledge that his claims lack documentary support.

Objects to allegations made during television interviews

The legal notice has also objected to allegations reportedly made during the interviews concerning prison staff allegedly being on a "payroll", luxury expenditures inside the jail and celebrity visits.

The legal team has argued that these matters are already sub-judice before Delhi trial courts, where witness testimonies are still underway. It has objected to the public discussion of these issues through television interviews, describing it as a parallel trial by media.

Citing Supreme Court precedents, including Subramanian Swamy v. Union of India, the notice has also invoked the protection afforded to an individual's reputation under Article 21 of the Constitution.

Complaint submitted to jail authorities

Separately, Anantam Legal has submitted a complaint to the Director General (Prisons), Delhi, and the Principal Secretary (Home), Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi.

The complaint seeks an internal audit of prison records from 2017-18, clarification on whether Bhatia continues to possess official documents relating to the alleged raid, and a review of possible action under Rule 8 of the CCS (Pension) Rules, 2021, and the Official Secrets Act, 1923.

The notice was reportedly served on Bhatia through WhatsApp and SMS on November 4. Copies were also addressed to NDTV, State Mirror Hindi, the Director General (Prisons), Delhi, and the Principal Secretary (Home), GNCTD.

'His cases will be decided in court, on evidence'

"Every genuine search inside a prison leaves a paper trail. We have asked Mr. Bhatia to produce it. If the records exist, let him place them before the authorities. If they do not, he owes my client a public apology, on the same channels where he made these claims. My client is an undertrial. His cases will be decided in court, on evidence, and not in television studios,"Anant Malik, Advocate and Managing Partner of Anantam Legal, said.

Legal action if demands are not met

According to the legal notice, Bhatia has been given seven days, or until approximately November 11, to comply with the demands.

If he fails to do so, Chandrasekhar's legal representatives have stated that they will proceed with filing the civil damages suit, criminal complaint and contempt proceedings without issuing any further notice.

The media organisations concerned have also been asked to preserve the raw interview footage and relevant communication records.