RTI activist alleges VK Sasikala given VIP treatment in jail

RTI activist, N Murthy, on Sunday stated that allegations were levelled against Bengaluru central prison authorities for providing VIP treatment to jailed AIADMK leader VK Sasikala. 

Murthy stated that five rooms in the prison were allotted to her when she was entitled to only one. 

"There were allegations against jail authority that they allotted 5 rooms to Sasikala. She was entitled to 1 room but was given 4. In other 4 rooms, female convicts were staying up to 14 February 2017. Once Sasikala reached, they were sent out, all 5 were given to her," Murthy stated.

He further added that one person was deputed to cook food for Sasikala when there was no such provision in the first place. 

"There's no provision for cooking food in prison but jail authorities deputed one convict to cook for Sasikala. In her case, the system was ignored. People used to come in groups, go to her room directly and stay for 3-4 hours. There was a violation of rules," the activist added.

Meanwhile, Karnataka Deputy chief minister MG Parameshwara reacted to the reports saying that he can't answer for the Home Minister. He was asked to react to the reports as he was the Home Minister (state) for Karnataka at the time Sasikala was jailed. 

"You should ask the Home Minister. I can't answer for him. I don't think so," he said. 

Sasikala is lodged in Bengaluru's Parappana Agrahara Central Jail. 

She was convicted by the Supreme Court in February 2017, in a disproportionate assets case and is serving a four-year sentence.

Sasikala was earlier granted five days of parole to visit her ailing husband who was discharged from hospital in November 2017. She was granted 15-day parole to attend the final rites of her husband Natarajan Maruthappa in March 2018.