Roopa Moudgil, the deputy inspector general (prisons) of Karnataka, had stirred up a hornet’s nest by exposing the special treatment given to AIADMK interim general secretary VK Sasikala, who is lodged in Bengaluru's Parappana Agrahara central prison.
Now, an anonymous letter by prison staff and the jail authorities sent to ADGP Megharik reveals that not only Sasikala, but other high-profile inmates have also been receiving “special treatment”.
According to the report, a copy of which is available with TNM, apart from Sasikala, the others receiving special treatment in prison are--IAS officer Ganagaram Baderiya, who has been jailed in connection with the Janthakal mining scam, SC Jayachandra, the Chief Project Officer of the State Highway Development Project, who was jailed in the Rs 5 crore currency conversion scam, and also the infamous Sachin Nayak and his wife Disha Choudhry, who have been jailed in connection with the Dreamz Infra project.
In an important revelation, the letter names Sub-Inspector Gajaraj Makanur attached with the Karnataka Industrial Security Force (KISF), as the person of contact between AIADMK leaders and the tainted jail authorities. The letter accuses Gajaraj of helping these AIADMK leaders in getting Sasikala and other high-profilers, perks in prison.
The letter states, SI Gajaraj Makanur is the person in-charge of the visitors’ inspection section near the prison’s main entrance. The letter alleges that it was Gajaraj who let AIADMK MPs and MLAs meet Sasikala at the ex-jail Chief Superintendent Krishna Kumar’s office, even after the prison was closed to visitors.
“The AIADMK leaders met Sasikala in the room for a meeting which went on for over 2 hours every time. PSI Gajaraj Makanur ensured that none of the entries or exits was recorded in the register,” the letter states.
The officials also alleged that the Deputy General Secretary of the AIADMK TTV Dinakaran, Sasikala’s nephew, Ilavarasi’s son Vivek and AIADMK Karnataka State Secretary V Pugalendi and Sandil too visited the jail every day after 7pm to meet Sasikala.
However, this goes against the initial announcement made by former DGP Satyanarayana Rao, that Sasikala was allowed visitors only once in 15 days.
The letter alleges that AIADMK members were in contact with Gajaraj alone. “PSI Gajaraj Makanur has a separate room inside the prison where he keeps fresh vegetables and other items, which were supplied to Sasikala's private kitchen. Sasikala's kitchen also has a refrigerator, which PSI Gajaraj Makanur hid when former DIG (Prisons) D Roopa Moudgil visited her cell,” the letter alleges.
The officials, in their letter, states that Makanur and senior prison authorities received kickbacks regularly for special facilities inside the prison.
The letter accuses Hosur MLA Balakrishna Reddy of supplying essential items to Sasikala through PSI Gajaraj.
“Sasikala’s room has LED TV and an air conditioner. Groceries for Sasikala’s food is also supplied by the Hosur MLA. Once in 2-3 days, groceries for Sasikala’s kitchen are smuggled inside the prison through the prison ambulance and stored in a special room, which PSI Gajaraj uses.
According to the letter, the Rs 2 crore kickback deal to ensure a comfortable stay for Sasikala inside the jail was brokered by Makanur with her nephew TTV Dinakaran.
“For facilitating the special treatment, Dhinakaran has given PSI Gajaraj a 30x40 sq ft site located in Bannerghatta Road, a two-storey house in Ranebennur and two benami cars procured from showrooms in Electronic City,” it alleges.
The prison staff allege that the senior jail authorities threaten to transfer them if they do not comply with the orders.
“The former Chief Superintendent, Krishna Kumar, who had complete knowledge of Gajaraj’s activities, did not take any action against him,” the letter states.
The letter states that TTV Dhinakaran allegedly gave the money to Krishna Kumar in the presence of Makanur and VC Prakash, the alleged aide of former Home Minister G Parameshwar. It alleges that Krishna Kumar handed over the money to former DGP H N Satyanarayana Rao.