CM: I didn't order special treatment for Sasikala

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who has been accused of facilitating special favours to jailed AIADMK leader V K Sasikala, claimed that he had not directed the prison authorities to provide any VVIP treatment to the Tamil Nadu politico.

A day after retired Director General of Police (Prisons) 

H N Sathyanarayana Rao revealed that Sasikala was provided with a cot, mattress and pillow on instructions of Siddaramaiah, the chief minister told the media that he had instructed the prison authorities to take measures as per the prison laws.

"A delegation from Tamil Nadu met me and said that Sasikala has not been provided with a mat and pillow. Hence I had told (Rao) to provide her with facilities as per the prison rules. I had not asked (the officer) to extend VVIP treatment to her. I had told Sathyanarayana to merely follow the prison rules," the chief minister said.

He was speaking with reporters at his official residence, Krishna, here on Wednesday.

Rao had made this revelation to an inquiry officer who was probing charges of the officer having accepted Rs 2-crore bribe for extending special treatment to Sasikala.

He said that Sasikala was being treated like any other prisoner, until he was summoned by Siddaramaiah and was directed to provide her with the above said facilities.

Meanwhile, Home Minister Ramalinga Reddy told reporters that Rao's statement was correct and that Sasikala had indeed been provided with a mat and pillow. "But no special treatment was extended to Sasikala. She was given a mat and pillow as per the doctor's advise," he said.

Reddy also defended the chief minister for having issued directions to the prison officials, when asked if he had the power to do so, given that the prisons come under the Home department.