Letter from prison implicates sub-inspector in Sasikala's VIP treats in jail

Bengaluru: In a leak that could finally nail the prison security official who facilitated the special privileges that were accorded to not just the star prisoner VK Sasikala, serving a 4 year jail term at the Parappana Agrahara Central Prison, but other VIP inmates, jail officials and staff through an anonymous letter have revealed damning details about the misuse and abuse of power by senior jail authorities.

The officials in the letter - a copy of which was made available to Deccan Chronicle - have not only laid out the special privileges being extended to the jailed AIADMK leader V Sasikala but also to jailed IAS officer Gangaram Baderia, SC Jayachandra, the chief project officer of the State Highway Development Project, Veerendra TGS and the real estate conman Sachin Nayak and his wife Disha Choudhry.

Most importantly, the letter names Sub-Inspector PSI Gajaraj Makanur attached to Karnataka Industrial Security Force, who allegedly acted as a conduit between AIADMK leaders and tainted jail authorities in getting Sasikala all the jail perks. He is accused of doing the same for other VIP inmates.

The PSI Gajaraj Makanur is in-charge of the visitors’ inspection section on the jail’s main gate, and it was he, who let the AIADMK leaders including MPs and MLAs meet Sasikala at the former jail chief superintendent Krishna Kumar’s office - not the visitor's gallery - well after the prison was closed to visitors.

The AIADMK leaders met Sasikala in the room with the meetings going on for well over 2 hours every time. Makanur, the letter states ensured that none of the entry or exit were recorded in the entry register.

The officials also claimed that the Deputy General Secretary of the AIADMK TTV Dhinakaran who is the nephew of Sasikala, Ilavarasi’s son Vivek, AIADMK Karnataka state secretary V Pugalendi and Sandil visited the jail every day after 7 pm to meet Sasikala, when the rule books specify that all visitors must exit the prison by 5 pm.

The AIADMK functionaries communicated only with Makanur who was their pointperson on Sasikala and Ilavarasi, both for information on their well-being and timing of visits, the letter further states.

The PSI allegedly had a separate room inside the prison where he stored fresh vegetables and other essentials which were used in Sasikala's private kitchen.

The officials claimed that Sasikala's kitchen also had a refrigerator which they hid when former DIG (Prisons) D Roopa Moudgil visited her cell.

According to the officials, Makanur worked hand in glove with the senior jail officials and they also are alleged to have received their share of the payoffs regularly. These revelations have substantiated the allegations of Roopa who in her report last week had raised the special privileges being given to Sasikala, which have been strenuously denied by officials.

Makanur, the broker?
According to the letter, the Rs 2 crore kickback deal to ensure a comfortable stay for Sasikala inside the jail was brokered by Makanur with her nephew TTV Dhinakaran.

With the help of Makanur, Dhinakaran met jail superintendent Krishna Kumar to strike the deal. The letter states that he allegedly gave the money to Krishna Kumar in the presence of Makanur and VC Prakash, the purported aide of former home minister G Parameshwar.

Krishna Kumar then handed over the money to former DIG & IGP H N Satyanarayana Rao, the letter stated.

Rao could not be reached for comment.