Sasikala prison row: Former DGP slaps Rs 50 crore defamation notice on ex-DIG Roopa

Former DIG of Prisons, Roopa Moudgil, whose explosive report on irregularities in the Parappana Agrahara prison sparked controversy, has now been served a legal notice by former DGP (Prisons) H Satyanarayana Rao.

“You (D Roopa) are required to get an apology duly published in all leading newspapers in the next three days, failing which, I will be constrained to initiate appropriate legal proceedings both civil and criminal, against you to recover damages from you and the same is quantified as Rs 50 crore tentatively,” Times of India quoted the statement in the notice.

During her expose, DIG Roopa had alleged that Rs 2 crore had changed hands between AIADMK leaders and Satyanarayana Rao, for providing special facilities to Sasikala inside jail.

After the issue took the media by storm, Roopa was transferred and Satyanarayana Rao was sent on leave. Even after the issue died down, DIG Roopa stuck to her stand.

Rao, in his notice, claimed that the allegations have caused severe damage to his name, fame and integrity, and also “mental agony”, The New Indian Express reported.

He argued that if Roopa could take pictures on prison premises, why did she not click photos of convicts getting VIP treatment such as setting up of a kitchen in her cell to get special food, the report states.

Rao, in his notice, goes on to say that the reason why the DIG Roopa has not clicked photographs of the alleged kitchen was because it does not exist. Rao said he would approach the Income Tax Department to find out the source where the alleged Rs 2 crore was mobilised, who carried it, who received it and where it is stored, so that those guilty of violating tax laws can be brought to book.

DIG Roopa, in an audio clip sent to PTI, said that she had done her duty.

She has urged the Anti-Corruption Bureau to act on the confession made by Australia-based NRI VC Prakash to the Delhi Police, in connection with the election commission bribery case.

Prakash had confessed that he helped to arrange meetings between AIADMK party leaders, including Deputy General Secretary TTV Dhinakaran and Sasikala, inside Parapana Agrahara prison as he knew some jail officials.

Prakash, who until recently, was a minister of state rank in the government, had also confessed that he helped Mallikarjun (a close aide of Dhinakaran) send Rs 2 crore to New Delhi.