Jailed Sahara Group chief Subrata Roy paid a staggering Rs 1.23 crore to Tihar Jail authorities for all special privileges which were provided to him in his special cell in the last one year, The Times of India reported.
Jail authorities said that the amount would take care of 200 inmates for a year.
"Tihar Jail authorities have received Rs 1,23,70,000 from Sahara Group for using the conference room. The payment includes charges for security , electricity , maintenance, rent and other facilities like food and water. The group is yet to submit Rs 7.5 lakh rupees more," sources told the TOI.
Roy, who is in jail since March 4, 2014, was moved to a normal cell on November 12 this year, and special services provided to him were cancelled according to a court order, the report states.
Roy and two other directors of Sahara, Ravi Shankar Dubey and Ashok Roy Choudhary, were sent to jail for the failure of group companies SIRECL and SHICL to return around Rs.24,000 crore of the investors' money. Earlier this year, the Supreme Court had allowed Roy to use the conference room in the jail's premises in order to carry out negotiations to raise Rs 10,000 crore for his bail.
Another top official told TOI, "Functioning from the fully air-conditioned room, Roy was also allowed two laptops, two desktops, landline phones and a cellphone. For these facilities, the Sahara Group will pay directly to the service providers. Roy's stenographer and other assistants were also allowed to help him during the permitted time slot from 6am to 8pm."