Sasikala 'pays' Rs 2 crore for VIP treatment in Jail, Siddaramaiah orders probe: 10 Points

BENGALURU: AIADMK (Amma) general secretary V.K. Sasikala is a four-year jail term at Parappana Agrahara Central Prison in Bengaluru ever since her conviction in February in a disproportionate assets case.

• Now, a senior police officer has alleged that Sasikala paid Rs 2 crore as bribe to get VIP treatment in the prison with a special kitchen being set up for her.
• DIG (Prisons) Rupa Moudgil levelled the charges in a report submitted to DGP (Prisons) H S Sathyanarayana Rao.
• In the four-page report after visiting the central prison on July 10, Roopa said a special kitchen was functioning in the jail for Sasikala in violation of prison rules.
• "There are rumours that the kitchen is continuing to function despite the issue being brought to your (Rao) notice. There is also a talk that Rs 2 crore has been paid as bribe for this.

• "As unfortunately these allegations are also against you, it is requested that you look into the matter and take merciless disciplinary action against erroneous officials," the report signed by Roopa said.
• However, Rao rubbished the charge against him by Roopa, terming it "absolutely false, baseless and wild". He said he would take legal recourse against his junior.He said no special treatment was meted out to anybody, adding that even in the matter of visitations, ministers, MPs and MLAs of Tamil Nadu were not being obliged.
• Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday ordered a high-level probe into alleged irregularities at the central prison, including preferential treatment being given to Sasikala. He said strict action will be taken against those found guilty.
• "We have taken serious cognizance of the allegation of irregularities in the Bengaluru Central Prison and ordered a high-level inquiry," Siddaramaiah, who is currenty touring Raichur district, posted on Twitter.
• "Request all to await the outcome of this inquiry. Strict action will be taken against any person found guilty of wrongdoing (sic)," he tweeted.

(With PTI inputs)