TTV Dhinakaran not allowed to meet Sasikala

Bengaluru: Following the controversies surrounding the Parappana Agrahara central prison including  special privileges given to AIADMK leader V. K. Sasikala in return for massive payoffs, the prison authorities denied permission to her nephew and AIADMK leader T. T. V. Dinakaran to meet her on Thursday, even as he rubbished the allegations that his aunt was favoured with luxurious facilities inside the jail.

This was the first time that Mr. Dinakaran had come to meet his aunt, after the allegations of special facilities being provided to her rocked the state last week. Mr. Dinakaran, who was accustomed to getting permission easily to meet Sasikala, was stopped on Thursday, at the police check point, a few hundred meters away from the jail with police making it clear that they could not allow the car to proceed into the jail premises.

As his assistants tried to convince the police and also tried to force them to take the phone, saying that a senior officer was on line, the policemen refused to budge and asked them to leave the car at the checkpoint and walk to the prison. By the time Mr. Dinakaran reached the prison premises it was already 4.45 pm. Undeterred, he still asked for a special meeting with Sasikala. However, the prison staff stood their ground, and denied him permission, saying that it was close to 5 pm and they could not allow anyone to enter the jail and meet prisoners after 5 pm.

Finally, Mr. Dinakaran left the premises without meeting his aunt. Prison sources said that he had not taken an appointment prior to the interview and thus  was denied permission. Speaking to reporters before going to meet Sasikala, Mr. Dinakaran had rubbished the allegations of special privileges being provided to her. “All the allegations are baseless. How can anybody allege Rs. two crore was paid without producing any evidence? They should think before making such allegations. If they have any proof, let them make it public,” he added.

ADGP Megharikh visits jail:
ADGP and IGP of Prison, N. S. Megharikh, visited the Parappana Agrahara central jail, on Thursday morning, for the first time after taking charge as the head of the prison department. 

He reportedly visited all the barracks and held a brief meeting with the staff there. 

Speaking to reporters later, he said that he found no   violation of prison rules during his visit. “I will be visiting the prison whenever required. We will work towards making Parappana Agrahara jail a model prison.”