The committee set up to look into the allegations of V K Sasikala, who is serving a four-year sentence in a corruption case, being given special treatment inside prison cell has found out serious lapses and falsification of records by the senior prison officials.
The high-level inquiry committee led by retired IAS officer Vinay Kumar had submitted the report last year which was accepted by the Karnataka government. The government had directed the Anti-Corruption Bureau into allegations of irregularities in Bengaluru central prison has found “serious lapses” a to register a case but the findings were kept strictly confidential.
RTI activist Narasimha Murthy alleged that the jail authorities had allotted 5 rooms to Sasikala while she is entitled to only one room.
RTI activist N Murthy: There were allegations against jail authority that they allotted 5 rooms to Sasikala. She was entitled to 1 room but was given 4. In other 4 rooms,female convicts were staying upto 14 Feb’17. Once Sasikala reached, they were sent out&all 5 were given to her pic.twitter.com/WqRb565yek
— ANI (@ANI) January 20, 2019
He further alleged that rules were openly flouted in providing a cook to Sasikala who would prepare food for her in the prison and that people were allowed to meet her in groups and even stay for hours.
RTI activist Narasimha Murthy: There’s no provision for cooking food in prison but jail authorities deputed one convict to cook for Sasikala. In her case, system was ignored. People used to come in groups, go to her room directly & stay for 3-4 hrs. There was violation of rules. https://t.co/jYjeRbMyOj
— ANI (@ANI) January 20, 2019
The issue regarding special treatment to Sasikala was highlighted in 2017 by the then Deputy Inspector General of Police (Prisons) D Roopa. Roopa had written to the authorities that prison authorities were extending special treatment to Sasikala for a bribe of Rs 2 crore. However right after the issue was brought to the notice of the authorities by Roopa, she was transferred to the Traffic Department.
