‘Additional facilities’ provided to high-profile convicts in jails is not new in India. After a surprise inspection at the prison where gangster Mukhtar Ansari is lodged, deputy jailor Vireshwar Pratap Singh and four jail warders ended up being suspended as ‘kiwis and dates’ were found in his cell.
But this is not the first time famous convicts have received special treatment in jails. News18 takes a look at similar cases:
Sidhu’s ‘Special Diet’ in Jail
Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu, who was recently jailed in a 1988 road rage case, is subject to a very special diet. According to an official, Sidhu is being given a doctor-recommended daily diet that includes coconut water, lactose-free milk, a glass of juice, and a few almonds.
After Sidhu requested it in jail, a board of doctors recommended a special diet for him. On May 23, he underwent a medical examination at Rajindra Hospital in Patiala, Punjab. In the morning, the 58-year-old cricketer-turned-politician consumes one cup of rosemary tea or one glass of coconut water, followed by one cup of lactose-free milk, one tablespoon of flax/sunflower/melon/chia seeds, five-six almonds, one walnut, and two pecan nuts.
His mid-morning meal is just as elaborate, the doctors have recommended a glass of juice (beetroot, cucumber, tulsi leaves, Amla, carrot etc), or any of fruits like watermelon, melon, kiwi, guava etc, or sprouted black chana, green gram with cucumber/tomato/half lemon/avocado. The doctors recommend one bowl of cucumber, seasonal green vegetables, and one chapati made from sorghum, singhara, or ragi flours for lunch. He has been advised to drink a cup of tea with low-fat milk and 25 grammes of ‘paneer’ slice or tofu with half lemon in the evening.
Five Rooms, Separate Kitchen for Sasikala
Expelled AIADMK leader VK Sasikala, who was convicted in a disproportionate assets case in 2017, spent about four years in jail. But her stay was more than comfortable, an inquiry report submitted by a committee led by retired IAS officer Vinay Kumar had later revealed.
The report shed light on the irregularities inside Bengaluru Central Prison in the treatment meted out to Sasikala, a close aide of former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalitha, whom opposition had also blamed for ‘causing’ the stalwart’s death.
After an RTI activist got access to the report which described how prison officials treated Sasikala as a ‘A’ category prisoner despite a court ruling that she was not. She was given special facilities only on the assumption that the court had agreed to give her Class ‘A’ prisoner status. The facilities were not withdrawn despite a communication from the prison department’s head office, said reports.
According to the report, an entire wing in the female barracks was cordoned off, and four vacant barracks adjacent to the one where Sasikala was staying were not allotted to other prisoners due to “threat perception”, which was not assessed. Eight female staff to her round-the-clock security were also delegated.
Sasikala was also given permission to keep a pressure cooker in her barracks, and Ajantha, another female convict, reportedly cooked for her in the cell.
Lalu Yadav’s TV and 2 Personal Cooks
When former Bihar chief minister and RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav was imprisoned for three months in 2013 in connection with the multi-crore fodder scam, he had access to many amenities. Unlike other inmates, Lalu was given a TV in his prison room and even had two personal cooks who served him his preferred food. Lalu’s prison menu consisted of rice, fresh vegetables, mutton/chicken or fish, ghee, and seasonal fruits, with the option of ordering food from outside, according to a report in Firstpost.
He also had longer visiting hours than regular inmates, an upper division cell, and extra time to walk around the grounds after other prisoners had returned to their cells. Many politicians and bureaucrats frequently cite health reasons to justify their actions.
Ganges Water for Bathing, Food Cooked at Jail Officials’ Home for Asaram Bapu
Self-styled godman, Asaram Bapu, was reportedly given VIP treatment inside the Jodhpur Central Jail after being convicted of rape. According to some media reports, Asaram requested Ganges water for bathing. He also allegedly only ate food prepared at the homes of jail officials. When he requested special treatment in December 2014, the Supreme Court ordered him to undergo a medical examination at AIIMS.
Inmates Cleaned Amar Singh’s Cell 5 Times a Day
Former Samajwadi Party leader Amar Singh, who was sent to Tihar Jail for his alleged role in the cash-for-vote scam, allegedly cited a chronic kidney problem and a urinary tract infection to avoid the typical nature of a jail stay. As a result, instead of sharing space with other inmates in the barracks, Singh was assigned to a separate ward. According to media reports, he was given home-cooked meals, mineral water, and a western-style toilet. Two cellmates were reportedly kept at his disposal to clean his ward four to five times a day with disinfectant and spray insecticide inside to keep mosquitoes at bay.
Subrata Roy Attended Video Conferences in His ‘AC Room’
Subrata Roy, the chief of Sahara India Parivar, was imprisoned in Delhi’s Tihar Jail in March 2014 for failing to refund Rs 20,000 crore to depositors and banks. He paid Rs 31 lakh (later reported to be Rs 1.23 crore for a year) for special privileges for 57 days. There was an air-conditioned room, a western-style toilet, a mobile phone, Wi-Fi, and video conferencing functionality. According to a Business Standard report, Roy’s company was charged approximately Rs 54,400 per day for his stay. Roy was also provided with security personnel.
According to Sunetra Choudhury, a journalist, in her book Behind Bars: Prison Tales of India’s Most Famous, Roy received benefits “never seen by anybody in prison.”
Body Massages from Inmates for Abdul Karim Tegi
In the same report that mentioned Sasikala, DIG Roopa claimed that Abdul Karim Telgi received special treatment in Bengaluru’s Parappana Agrahara Central Jail. Telgi, who was convicted in the counterfeit stamp paper scam, was said to have received body massages from three to four other prisoners who were ‘allotted’ to him inside the jail, according to a report by India Times. Telgi was convicted in 2007 and sentenced to 30 years in prison.
Jail Aide to Cater to All of Dileep’s Needs
Dileep, an actor who was arrested in the abduction and sexual assault of a Malayalam actress and sentenced to 14 days in judicial custody at Aluva sub-jail in Kerala, was also discovered to be receiving preferential treatment in the prison. The actor allegedly received VIP treatment and was assigned a jail aide who would attend to his every need. It was also reported that Dileep was served the same meals that were prepared for jail officials following the meal times of other inmates.
32-feet TV, ‘Respect’ for Bibi Jagir Kaur
Former Shiromani Akali Dal minister Bibi Jagir Kaur was convicted of kidnapping and killing her own daughter. However, the charges were later dropped by the court. Kaur, on the other hand, received preferential treatment while incarcerated at Kapurthala Central Jail.
She had a 32-inch television in her cell, and officials were said to have rushed to touch her feet as soon as she arrived at the prison. She even had free use of a cellphone.
Jessica Lal Murder-accused ‘Partying’ in Parole to Visit ‘Ailing Mother’
Manu Sharma was a resident of Tihar Jail after being convicted of Jessica Lal’s murder. He applied for parole in 2009 to visit his ailing mother. Sharma, on the other hand, was seen partying shortly after being released from jail. While attending a discotheque in Delhi, he became involved in a brawl with the son of a Delhi cop, who confirmed Sharma’s presence in the bar. His parole was revoked, and he was returned to prison.
66 Times Bail for Vikas Yadav
Vikas Yadav, along with his brother Vishal Yadav, was convicted of Nitish Katara’s murder. During his first two years in prison, he was released on bail 66 times and was frequently involved in criminal brawls, including Jessica Lal’s murder case. He spent the majority of his time in prison in hospitals, citing health issues even though he had none. He even got out on Diwali night with the help of two police officers who were later suspended.
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