Sasikala had special privileges in Bengaluru jail : Prison authorities confirm to PAC

inside the Parappana Agrahara Central Jail in Bengaluru, according to media reports.

Officers of the prisons department have admitted before members of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly that privileges were extended to Sasikala and multi-crore stamp paper scam kingpin Abdul Karim Telgi inside the Parappana Agrahara Central Jail in Bengaluru.

“So far, the allegation regarding special treatment meted out to Sasikala and Telgi, as mentioned in the report submitted by (DIG) Roopa turns out to be true. Our committee has directed the senior officials to identify the jail officials who are involved in the irregularities,” Deccan Chronicle quoted a PAC member as saying.

D Roopa, the Karnataka police officer who had alleged that Sasikala is enjoying VIP facilities in the prison, was transferred  on July 17.  Her boss and the state's in-charge of prisons HN Satyanarayana Rao, whom she had accused of accepting a bribe from Sasikala, was asked to go on leave.

Earlier, in a report to the Karnataka Government based on her inspection of the central jail,  Roopa had alleged that  Sasikala enjoys an exclusive kitchen and other facilities.

Her report referred to "speculation" that  Sasikala, jailed for corruption, had paid two crores for special treatment and  Rao could have been a beneficiary. The state government ordered an inquiry.

According to reports, the PAC has also asked both ADGP Prisons NS Megharikh and DIG HS Revanna, who have replaced Rao and Moudgil in the prison respectively, to submit a detailed report.

The PAC is headed by Bharatiya Janata Party MLA and former home minister R Ashok, who has asked the prison officials to submit a report within 15 days, according to India Today.

Sasikala was imprisoned in the Bengaluru jail after  being convicted in a corruption case.