A day after DGP (Prisons) H N Sathyanarayana Rao said DIG (Prisons) D Roopa was ignorant about prison rules, a CCTV footage of stamp paper scam kingpin Abdul Karim Telgi getting “special” treatment at Bengaluru Central Prisons in Parappana Agrahara was leaked to the media on Friday.
Though the source of the leak is not known, there is speculation that Roopa may be behind the “selective” leak. However, prison chief superintendent Krishna Kumar said the contents of the footage show nothing illegal.
The footage shows Telgi sleeping on a cot in his cell that has an LED TV, a drinking water can, two tables, and also an under-trial entering his cell.
Krishna Kumar explained that the footage has nothing unusual. There are no restrictions on any inmates walking into another inmate’s cell as they could be helping each other on humanitarian grounds, sometimes because they may even be case-mates.
Case-mates are usually seen helping each other and sharing their thoughts. This is normal in prison, he said.
“There was a High Court of Karnataka direction that stated that due to Telgi’s failing health, a wheelchair be given to him along with medicines and appropriate diet chosen by his dietician. We are only following that court order. Even today, he cannot walk more than 10 metres without help, and there is an attendant for him who is a convict and not an under-trial,” Krishna Kumar stated.
Senior counsel M T Nanaiah said the order was some 10 years old where the court had even directed jail authorities to provide Telgi with home food which includes egg and chicken. “There are no specific directions on having an attendant for Telgi, however, since his movement was restricted and he is on a wheelchair, there was a direction to assist him. The jail manual says that only convicts can be used for labour work and not the undertrials. Due to Telgi’s illness, he required proteins and that is why home food was given to him,” added Nanaiah.