Delhi cops knew jail officials were paid Rs 2 cr for 'VIP treatment' to Sasikala
Bengaluru: The charge by the former deputy inspector general of prisons D Roopa that money paid out by the AIADMK (Amma) faction to the Bengaluru Central Prison officials for facilitating a comfortable prison stay for the jailed general secretary of the party VK Sasikala at the Bengaluru Central Prison, has been known to Delhi police officials since April.
Top sources told Deccan Chronicle that the alleged Rs 2 crore payoff, by the AIADMK leader and nephew of Sasikala TTV Dhinakaran to some unknown prison officials, reportedly finds mention in the confessional statement made by VC Prakash, the purported aide of former home minister G Parameshwar, before Delhi police in the ‘bribe for two leaves election symbol’ scandal for the RK Nagar Assembly by-election in Tamil Nadu as far back as April.
In Prakash’s statement, recorded under Section 164 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC), he is reported to have accepted that he knew Dinakaran’s aide Mallikarjuna, who was arrested along with Dinakaran on April 25 by the Delhi police, and that he had received a call from Mallikarjuna. However, he claims he was not aware of on the illegal money transfer for the alleged bribe to the EC.
“Prakash denied information and involvement in the EC transaction. However, it was during the course of his questioning that he reportedly mentioned the alleged offer of Rs two crore made by the AIADMK (Amma) to prison officials in Karnataka to ensure Sasikala’s comfortable stay in the prison. His statement was recorded under Section 306 of the CrPC (tender of pardon to an accomplice) ,” said the source, adding "there is however, no confirmation on whether the money did exchange hands and if there was a final deal."
Prakash’s name reportedly appeared in Mallikarjuna’s call detail records and the police suspect that Prakash may have helped him in transferring Rs 10 crore through hawala to Delhi.
Prakash had earlier strongly denied any involvement of former home minister G. Parameshwar in the entire episode, the officer said.
A silk salwar-kameez, where’s the white sari?
A day after photos of Sasikala’s cell in the Parappana Agrahara prison was released, a video clip revealing Sasikala and Ilavarasi grossly violating the prison rules by not wearing convicts’ uniform and moving around in civilian dress inside the barrack, was leaked on Tuesday. Walking in the corridor at the entry gate of the women prisoners barrack is Sasikala in a silk salwar-kameez and Ilavarasi , wearing a saree. The CCTV camera is installed at the entry gate of the women prisoners barrack.
DIG D. Roopa has been replaced as DIG prisons by DIG H. S. Revanna. The order was issued on Tuesday evening, he has not yet taken charge
NHRC notice to state police chief on prisoners
Asserting that a prisoner is "not a slave of the State", the NHRC has issued notices to the Karnataka police chief and prison authorities over allegations of 32 prisoners at the Bangalore Central Jail being severely beaten up and meted out inhuman treatment. The prisoners were allegedly thrashed as they had staged a protest inside the Parappana Agrahara central jail premises after they were not allowed to speak to D Roopa, the Deputy Inspector General of Police, Prisons, Bengaluru, during her visit to the jail, the rights panel said Tuesday.
Booed on first day in office
The newly appointed in-charge chief superintendent of Parappana Agrahara Central Prison Anitha R had an unfavourable welcome by the prisoners on Tuesday when she entered the prison after taking charge from the shunted jail chief SP Krishna Kumar. The prisoners shouted slogans in protest against her appointment as the prison chief and sought her removal from the position citing her alleged role in getting special facilities for Sasikala who is lodged in the prison.
