EXCLUSIVE: ‘Sasikala is not in jail, it is like she is in Poes Garden,’ says RTI activist

‘Sasikala is not in jail, it is like she is in Poes Garden’ says an RTI activist who has revealed that special privileges continue for Sasikala. In July 2017, a report by the Deputy Inspector General Prisons, D Roopa regarding irregularities in Bengaluru Central jail had taken the country by storm. The revelations about VK Sasikala being given VVIP treatment inside jail had made national headlines but an RTI reply over two years later has revealed that despite the furore and multiple investigations, nothing has changed for the high-profile inmate.

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'All officials are supporting this'

RTI activist Narasimhamurthy had applied for copies of visitors ledger regarding who had been allowed to meet Sasikala. The reply revealed multiple violations in allowing as many as six visitors at the same time, flouting the Prison Manual. Republic spoke exclusively to the RTI activist who has been accessing crucial documents via RTI about Sasikala’s terms of imprisonment for over two years now. "Sasikala is not in jail, it is like she is in Poes Garden. All the special privileges that D Roopa had reported still continues. The papers I have revealed this. All the officials are supporting this", he said regarding the facilities she has been receiving inside the Parappana Agrahara Jail. But so far, no action has been initiated against those who were held accountable including the prime accused IPS officer HNS Rao who was then the DG Prisons who has not even been questioned so far.

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Talking about the failure of consecutive governments in actioning the findings of irregularities, Murthy said, "From the beginning, I have been following this. When the government appointed Vinay Kumar commission, D Roopa’s allegations have been proved. But the government has not taken any action so far." In March 2018 the ACB probing the allegations registered an FIR against HNS Rao and other senior officials. In January, 2019, the retired IAS officer report on the irregularities confirmed most of the allegations levelled by D Roopa. In June 2019 the ACB had written to the Home Department and obtained clearance to question HNS Rao. Several Home Ministers have turned a blind eye, obliquely allowing the corruption to continue.

Narasimha Murthy added, "I had met the former home minister during Congress regime, Mr Ramalinga Reddy personally who had assured me he will take action. He was followed by MB Patil as Home Minister who also did not act. Now the present BJP government - I met with Basavaraj Bommai and gave a representation. He said this is very serious, I will take action but nothing has happened so far."

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