Quiet Diwali for Tihar's VIP inmates -- Kanimozhi, A Raja, Kalmadi, others

DMK MP Kanimozhi, former minister A Raja and other VIPs in the Tihar Jail in Delhi celebrated Diwali on a low key, greeting fellow prisoners and accepting sweets from jail officials.

"Raja and (Congress leader Suresh) Kalmadi greeted the other inmates in their own wards and relished the delicacies given by jail authorities," a prison official who requested anonymity said.

Special food was also served on Diwali day on Wednesday.

Prisoners got a vegetable curry with paneer and tandoori roti for lunch as well as ladoo, burfi and jalebi in the evening, the official said.

The inmates were also allowed to buy candles and diyas and snacks from the jail canteen. These were lit up in the periphery of their wards.

But not many were keen on this. "Only Raja bought some candles and lighted them," the official said.

According to him, the high-profile inmates -- which includes corporate executives charged with the 2G scam -- were upset because they could not meet their relatives or lawyers on Diwali since the day was a gazetted holiday.

"A special prayer was conducted but the VIP prisoners were not allowed to participate due to security concern," the official said.

In the evening, Raja was seen in the library reading books.

Kanimozhi, who is also a poet, remained in her cell reading. Most of the others were glued to TV.

Tihar Jail, one of the largest in India, houses almost 11,000 prisoners.