Conman Sukesh Chandrashekhar allegedly extorted over Rs 200 crore from Aditi Singh, wife of former Ranbaxy owner Shivinder Singh, between June 2020 and May 2021.
Sukesh, currently lodged at Tihar Jail in Delhi, allegedly introduced himself as ‘Abhinav’, an officer on special duty at the Office of the Prime Minister (PMO).
According to India Today report, Arundhati Khanna- sister of Aditi Singh- said that he claimed he was on special deputation at the PMO to coordinate with selected families. "He also claimed to have the Income Tax Department, the Intelligence Bureau and law portfolios under him", she told Enforcement Directorate (ED).
Sukesh Chandrashekhar admitted that he introduced himself as ‘Abhinav’ to her. The investigation so far has revealed that the conman used mobile applications and voice modulation softwares to make several calls to Aditi Singh as various senior government officials. She was desperate to secure bail for her arrested husband and he used this as an opportunity to make money by posing as government officials, all while sitting in jail himself.
Aditi Singh’s sister Arundhati Khanna got involved in the case as she was often in the room when her sister was speaking to ‘Abhinav’ (Sukesh Chandrashekhar), regarding bail for her husband, Arundhati Khanna told the ED.
“He asked to be put on speaker so he could convince us [to pay money] when she [Aditi] said that her family questions such large amounts being given at such frequency right in the middle of the pandemic,” she said.
Sukesh Chandrashekhar said he started speaking to Arundhati Khanna to ask how her sister Aditi Singh was when she was summoned by the ED in June 2021. He also told the ED that Arundhati Khanna would ask him for favours related to her son’s drunk-driving case and other personal court cases. She denied all his claims.
Arundhati Khanna said, “He was always impressing upon me the urgency in helping my sister arrange funds and the dire consequences our family would face if we failed to do so. He threatened us with raids and government action.”
