An RTI query revealed that Sasikala, who is currently serving a four-year jail term in a Bengaluru prison, has been given VIP facilities such as personal cook, unrestricted access to visitors among others.
Ousted AIADMK leader V K Sasikala was given special treatment in a prison, where she is serving imprisonment in a corruption case, according to the report by an inquiry committee that went into allegations by a senior police official, an RTI query has revealed.
The 295-page report by retired IAS officer Vinay Kumar confirmed then DIG (Prisons) D Roopa's claims in July 2017 that Sasikala was given preferential treatment and a separate kitchen functioned for her at the Parappana Agrahara Central Jailhere, RTI activist Narasimha Murthy said.
"I have accessed the 295 pages report through an RTI query. The report confirms that Sasikala was given special treatment in the jail," he told PTI.
The reply was furnished by M R Shobha, Public Relations Officer of the Home Department.
Reacting to it, Roopa said her stand had been vindicated and said this case could be one of the basis for prison reforms.
"Whatever I had said in my report is the same thing and this was an independent inquiry committee... My stand is vindicated and I am happy for that," she told reporters here.
The IPS officer said it was because of her efforts and struggle that the report had become public through RTI route.
"Unfortunately my report was not taken on its face value. I was transferred out. People doubted perhaps but now same thing has been said in the report (by the inquiry officer)," Roopa, presently IGP, Home Guards and Civil Defence, said.
The then Siddaramaiah government had ordered an inquiry by Vinay Kumar to probe the allegations made by Roopa after the issue snowballed.
In her report submitted on July 12 to DGP (Prisons) H N Sathyanarayana Rao, Roopa had said there was "a talk" that Rs two crore had exchanged hands to give preferential treatment for Sasikala and there were allegations against him also, charge rejected by him.
The issue had caused embarrassment to the then Congress government led by Siddaramaiah which ordered the transfer of Roopa and Rao after both sparred in public.
Kumar had submitted his report to the government on November 17, 2017 but its contents were not made public.
(Inputs from PTI)
1. Allowed to wear her personal clothes
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Close aide of late Tamil Nadu chief minister Jayalalithaa, Sasikala was allowed to wear her personal clothes and cook. A pressure cooker and spices were found in her prison cell.
2. A separate visitors' room
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It also said there was separate visitors' room for her and the corridor in the jail was barricaded for her.
3. Provided with five rooms
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Sasikala was provided five cells, despite no threat to her life as per intelligence reports, the report said.
4. Sasikala enjoyed free movement within the prison
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The inquiry committee report said Sasikala enjoyed free movement within the prison which was corroborated by video clips. One of the videos showed Sasikala and co-convict Elavarasi going out of the female barrack with a bag in hand.
5. Sasikala is serving 4-year jail term
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Sasikala is lodged at Parappana Agrahara central prison here ever since her conviction by the Supreme Court in February, 2017 in the disproportionate assets case along with her two relatives V N Sudhakaran and Elavarasi, all serving a 4-year jail term.
