Bengaluru: After the disturbing revelation by a top Cop that AIADMK leader V K Sasikala Natarajan had bribed the prison officials for special treatment at Central Jail in Parappana Agrahara here, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah today ordered a high level inquiry into the allegations. Sources said that the Chief Minister, who also holds Home Portfolio, ordered the inquiry and asked the officials to submit a report at the earliest. DIG (Prisons) D Roopa had sent a report to the Karnataka police chief and IGP R K Dutta alleging that large scale corruption prevailing in the prison and Ms Sasikala was being given special treatment after her supporters allegedly paid the jail officials a bribe of Rs 2 crore. This was refuted by Director General of Police (Prisons) H N Sathyanarayana Rao, who said his subordinate was making baseless allegations after he had served her a memo for lapses in discharging her duties, earlier. The episode led to a major debate on corruption prevailing in Karnataka Prisons where high profile prisoners were getting special treatment after paying bribe.
Ms Roopa also alleged that long time convict Abdul Karim Telgi, jailed in the fake stamp paper scam, was also being given special treatment, while drugs, mainly ganja, was making its way into the jail under the nose of jail officials. AIADMK leader Ms Sasikala Natarajan is serving a four year term in the jail after being convicted in the infamous Jayalalitha disproportionate assets case. In her report Ms Roopa had accused that the high-profile prisoner was provided a special kitchen and other VIP amenities after she allegedly paid Rs two crore to jail authorities. Besides long serving criminal Telgi was also given special treatment. In her report the official had sought a detailed probe into gross violations of prison rules, including corrupt practices in prison. She stated that Mr Rao and a few other senior officials had allegedly received the bribe amount. Mr Rao however refuted allegations and said the Tamil Nadu political leader was not given any special treatment. ‘I have not seen this report. If she (Ms Roopa) goes to the press and make false and baseless allegations, then the department will take suitable action,’ he said today.
