The prime accused in the case is retired IPS officer HNS Rao, who was posted as the DG Prisons when the scandal over VIP treatment to Sasikala broke out.
More than a year since the Anti-Corruption Bureau in Karnataka started probing the VIP treatment given to influential prisoners like former AIADMK Chief VK Sasikala at the Bengaluru’s Parappana Agrahara jail, the ACB is yet to question the prime accused in the case. Top sources have confirmed to TNM that the prime accused in the case, then-DGP (Prisons) HNS Rao has not been questioned yet. This despite the fact that the officials of the ACB had sought a clearance from the Karnataka Home Department to probe the former IPS officer, as mandated by law to probe senior government officials. TNM has accessed a copy of the letter, written in June 2019, seeking clearance. However, no clearance has been given yet, sources say. The ACB had in March 2018 registered an FIR under the Prevention of Corruption Act against the then-DGP (Prisons) HNS Rao and other jail officials, including Krishna Kumar and Anitha, who were the jail superintendents. The most sensational claim against Rao was that a bribe of Rs 2 crore was allegedly given by Sasikala’s aides in exchange for her special privileges inside the jail. Read: Yes, Sasikala got special privileges in jail: Details of Vinay Kumar panel findings The FIR was registered by the ACB after then Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had accepted the recommendations of retired IAS officer Vinay Kumar commission report. Vinay Kumar was tasked with an independent probe when then DIG (Prisons) IPS Officer Roopa D had blown the lid off an alleged bribery racket involving Rao. Other than the irregularities regarding VIP prisoners, the ACB had also sought sanction in an alleged lapse in norms by Rao to spend Rs 11 lakh in a total of public money for only 1-2 days of training each costing more than Rs 1 lakh or more. These training for jail officials were in batches of 20-30. Another allegation that the ACB has found, as was pointed by Roopa, was that a certain amount of money was sanctioned for ‘annual maintenance funds for mobile jammers’ when in fact, no mobile jammers ever existed. Home Department refuses to comment When asked about the letter seeking clearance to probe Rao, Rajneesh Goel, Additional Chief Secretary to the Home Department, denied knowledge about it and declined to comment further on the issue saying, “You should ask the ACB.” “Neither the ACB nor matters concerning IAS/IPS officers come under me,” BK Singh, Secretary to Government, the Home Department (PCAS), Bengaluru, told TNM. Despite multiple efforts, TNM could not reach IGP ACB Chandrasekhar for a comment. A source in the police department said, “How can Rajneesh Goel claim that he has no knowledge about it. At least even if he has no guts to take a stand, he should seek an opinion from his higher-ups, which include the Home Minister. But why is he sitting on the file?” ‘This amounts to dereliction of duty’ Speaking to TNM, Justice (retired) Santosh Hegde, former Lokayukta and former Supreme Court judge said, “This inaction can be termed as ‘dereliction of duty’ because they are supposed to supervise these investigations. This can also be punished under disciplinary rules.” He added, “Under the jail manual, there are certain restrictions to prisoners, with regards to freedom of movement, food and other facilities. When these restrictions are not followed, then it should be presumed that this relaxation is made for collateral reasons. These collateral reasons cannot be legally acceptable. In the earlier days, these instances were unusual, depending on the status of the person but now it is becoming very common. In my opinion, these irregularities have to be highlighted so that the public will know about it and only public reaction can control this.” Read: VIP treatment at Bengaluru prison: IPS Roopa to finally get inquiry commission report Until January 2019, the state government had kept the Vinay Kumar Commission report under wraps and had even rejected information under the Right to Information Act. The report had found that the prison officials had falsified several records for VK Sasikala – the aide of late Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa – and her sister-in-law Ilavarasi, both of whom have been lodged at the Parappana Agrahara jail in connection with a disproportionate assets case. Among the irregularities found by the Vinay Kumar Commission were: an entire corridor with five rooms being left empty for Sasikala’s use under the guise of providing security to her, extended visiting hours and falsification of records to cover this up, and free movement within jail premises with the help of jail officials. The report also highlighted that while the prison officials had claimed that this was done as a security measure, as Sasikala – being a high-profile prisoner – could face threats, the officials had done nothing to investigate the source or scope of these threats even several months after she was lodged in the prison. The report also takes note of the cramping caused in the rest of the cells occupied by other female convicts because Sasikala was given five rooms. Previously, TNM had reported that the ACB had issued notices for questioning to VG Pugazhendi, a Bengaluru-based functionary of the AMMK, the TTV Dhinakaran-led offshoot of the AIADMK. At that time, it came to light that even eight months into the probe, the ACB officials reportedly did not even visit the jail premises to probe the case. Read more here: VIP treatment in Bengaluru prison: Is ACB dragging its feet on corruption charges?
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