Bangalore, July 18: The Karnataka government has directed the commission probing alleged irregularities in Bangalore Central Prison to file a preliminary report in a week and the final one within a month, making it clear it wanted to end the controversy over a VIP inmate's "special" treatment.
A senior officer in the prisons department had last week reported that AIADMK leader Sasikala, convicted in an assets case, was enjoying special privileges, including a separate kitchen and a yoga room.
The officer's report has already led to three transfers - including that of the whistleblower cop herself, D. Roopa.
"The government is keen on getting to the bottom of the whole issue. The inquiry commission will have a free hand to report its findings," a government source said.
The source, however, didn't want to be drawn into a discussion on Roopa's allegations, saying "let the probe report be filed".
Roopa, who was deputy inspector-general, prisons, was shunted out yesterday to a new posting - DIG traffic and road safety - days after she had accused her boss, DGP (prisons) H.N. Sathyanarayana Rao, of bending jail rules for Sasikala.
Rao, too, was transferred yesterday, without a posting, along with the central prison's chief superintendent, Krishna Kumar.
Roopa had reported that a special kitchen was operating for Sasikala and that the AIADMK leader, whose party rules Tamil Nadu, had also been provided with a separate cell as her yoga room.
A video that got leaked today shows Sasikala strolling inside a prison building in civilian clothes. Under prison norms, all convicts must wear the uniform white sari.
Sources said Roopa had reported about several such special privileges for Sasikala and her sister-in-law Ilavarasi, both convicted in a Rs 66-crore disproportionate assets case along with the late Jayalalithaa.
While the state government has come under attack from Opposition parties for shunting out Roopa, it has yet to take a call on demands from within the ruling Congress to widen the scope of the probe from the year 2000.
That was the year the Bangalore Central Prison had shifted out of the city to its current location in Parappana Agrahara, a village about 20km on the outskirts.
Congress spokesperson Brijesh Kalappa today wrote to chief minister P.C. Siddaramaiah, saying the probe should cover all VIP prisoners from that year. "It is only appropriate that the VIP facilities provided to all inmates from 2000 and the circumstances under which they were provided these VVIP facilities should be inquired into," Kalappa said.
State BJP chief B.S. Yeddyurappa, one of those who had attacked the government for transferring Roopa, had spent 25 days in the same prison in 2011 after being sent to judicial remand over alleged irregularities in several land deals.
The inquiry commission, headed by retired civil servant Vijay Kumar, started work today with a visit to the prison and spoke to many of the inmates. Jail sources said the inmates, protesting Roopa's transfer, greeted the commission with pro-Roopa slogans and refused to budge without expressing their anger.
Roopa, who took charge today as DIG traffic and road safety in Bangalore, refused to comment on the transfers triggered by her report. "I just followed orders to assume my new position," she said.
The government had clarified that it had taken action against Roopa because she had violated service rules by discussing an internal report with the media.
The state's director-general of police, R.K. Datta, today denied allegations that Roopa's new posting was a punishment transfer.
"Roopa has been given a very important position to lead the traffic and road safety team. It's a very important and responsible position," the top cop said. "It's not at all a punishment posting."
Jail complaint
The National Human Rights Commission has issued notices to the Karnataka DGP and IG (prisons) following a complaint that 32 prisoners were badly beaten up to stop them from complaining about alleged inhuman conditions in the central jail, reports our legal correspondent.
