NEW DELHI: The Tihar administration on Sunday said that there were no violations of prison rules with respect to AAP functionary Satyendar Jain, refuting court submissions by the Enforcement Directorate that the minister was getting VIP treatment in jail. The Delhi unit of BJP, nevertheless, demanded the immediate dismissal of Jain from the council of ministers over ED’s submission that he met key witnesses in the money laundering case inside Tihar. A senior jail official, who did not wish to be quoted, said: “The jail administration had provided the CCTV footage on ED’s request. Inmates within a ward in the jail are free to move and interact with each other during open hours. They discuss their matters and help out one another.” The official added: “We have taken care that there are no violations of prison rules in respect of lodgment of inmate Jain.” ED has alleged that Jain, arrested in a money laundering case, was getting massages and was also regularly meeting the co-accused in the case. ED submitted CCTV footage in court, alleging that the AAP functionary was living a luxurious life inside Tihar jail, with facilities like head, foot and back massage being provided to him. The Tihar jail administration claimed that no one from outside visited Jain’s cell and that the co-accused mentioned by ED were also lodged in the same ward as Jain, making communication possible. Delhi BJP chief Adesh Gupta, meanwhile, demanded that Jain, who is in judicial custody since May this year, be moved to some other jail. While his portfolios were handed over to deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia, Jain continues to be a minister in CM Arvind Kejriwal’s council of ministers. No immediate reaction was available from the AAP government. Addressing a press conference, Gupta alleged that Jain was using electronic gadgets, eating home cooked food and was able to talk to influence the case witnesses only because he was still a minister in Delhi government. “Jain continues to wield power. He should immediately be sacked from the Cabinet and shifted to another jail,” Gupta demanded. East Delhi MP Manoj Tiwari alleged that Jain not only indulged in corruption but also worked actively to destroy evidence in the case by regularly talking to the witnesses and people outside the jail. “If he is not sacked immediately, we will launch an agitation against the AAP government,” Tiwari said. Leader of Opposition in Delhi Assembly, Ramvir Singh Bidhuri, alleged that Jain was able to talk to the co-accused and use gadgets inside the prison with active connivance of jail authorities. “Satyendar Jain still remains a minister in Delhi government and has held the prison department before his arrest on May 30. He has earlier contacts with the jail authorities, which he is taking illegal advantage of. Kejriwal is not deliberately removing him from the cabinet to ensure Jain continues to use his influence illegally inside jail,” Bidhuri alleged.
Source: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/no-violations-in-delhi-minister-satyender-jain-case-says-tihar-official/articleshow/95188618.cms