Tihar Jail superintendent suspended over 'special treatment' to Satyendar Jain
What's the story
The superintendent of Tihar Jail No. 7, Ajit Kumar, has been suspended after he was found to have committed "irregularities," reported PTI citing sources. Kumar was accused of extending special VIP treatment to Aam Aadmi Party's (AAP) Delhi minister Satyendar Jain imprisoned on money laundering charges. This comes over a week after Director General (Prisons) Sandeep Goel was replaced on similar allegations.
Context
Why does this story matter?
Delhi's Tihar Jail, a highly secured prison, is again in the news for allegedly "ensuring luxurious facilities" to the jailed AAP leader. Earlier, Sandeep Goel was replaced after allegations of him helping conman Sukesh Chandrasekhar "live a luxurious life inside the jail" against an amount of Rs. 12.5 crore had surfaced. Interestingly, Sukesh also claimed he gave Rs. 10 crore to Jain as "protection money."
Irregularities
Jain was allegedly getting special treatment in jail
The action against Kumar came after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) submitted to Rouse Avenue Court Special Judge Vikas Dhull that he facilitated "massages to Jain" inside the jail. "He (Jain) was given special food," Additional Solicitor General SV Raju said, representing the ED. Raju submitted CCTV images to the court and alleged "most of the time he is either in hospital or...jail enjoying these facilities."
Background
Jain faces jail in a 5-year-old case
A minister in the Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP government in Delhi, Jain was arrested on May 30, 2022, under provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The case has its roots in August 2017, when the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) registered a case against him and others over disproportionate assets. Based on the CBI's FIR the ED initiated a money laundering probe.
Accusations
AAP rejects allegations of Jain receiving money from Sukesh
Earlier, Sukesh wrote to Delhi's Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena, claiming he paid Rs. 10cr "protection money" to Jain and Rs. 50cr to the AAP for a party position in south India. Calling these allegations baseless, Kejriwal accused the BJP of "making any jailed criminal speak anything against anyone." The AAP claims Sukesh is the BJP's bogey as it fears losing the Gujarat Assembly elections.