New Delhi: Delhi minister and AAP leader Satyendar Jain “misused” his official position and authority to enjoy special treatment inside the Tihar Jail, as per a report submitted by an inquiry committee constituted by Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena.
The report added that Satyendar Jain also met co-accused in a money laundering case in which he was arrested.
A committee was formed last month after the Enforcement Directorate alleged that Satyendar Jain was being provided special treatment in jail. The inquiry committee finalized its report on Thursday.
According to the report: Satyendar Jain, a Tihar inmate and minister in Delhi government, violated norms and rules of the prison and misused his official position and authority, which enabled him to enjoy special treatment/facilities in the jail.
At least five inmates- Rinku (POCSO accused), Afsar Ali, Manish (POCSO accused), Sonu Singh and Dilip Kumar were pressurized by the Jail administration to provide “special services” to Satyendar Jain. The report underlined that a retinue of jail officials including wardens, munshis and other staff were involved in the service of Satyendar Jain.
Committee found collusion on part of then DG Prison, Sandeep Goel with Satyendar Jain, and recommended departmental proceedings against Goel for extending VIP treatment to Satyendar Jain.
The inmates did not offer any service to Satyendar Jain voluntarily or out of “love and affection” as cited by the suspended Jail Superintendent Ajit Kumar. Instead, the inmates feared that if they refused to obey, they would be given “punishment ticket” or tortured in the jail.
In violation of prison rules, Satyendar Jain frequently held court in his room with co-accused in the same case, Vaibhav Jain and Ankush Jain, apart from Sanjay Gupta and Raman Bhuraria who are accused in other cases filed by ED. Such meetings often happened even during restricted curfew hours.
The massage given by Rinku was facilitated by jail authorities as special treatment to Satyendar Jain.
Satyendar Jain’s wife, Poonam, and other family members had frequent meetings with him in jail in blatant violation of rules and with collusion of senior jail officials including the then Director General Sandeep Goel and the suspended Jail Superintendent Ajit Kumar.
Sandeep Goel met Satyendar Jain in his cell for about 50 minutes on October 6. This reflects that Sandeep Goel was quite close to Satyendar Jain and indicates the collusion of top brass, i.e. the then DG (Prisons) Sandeep Goel.
The then Jail Superintendent Ajit Kumar interacted with Satyendar Jain in his cell for about 15 minutes on September 12.
There was benami use of the jail account cards of other inmates by Satyendar Jain to purchase fruits/food and other items for his personal use. These jail account cards were recharged by the Jail warden and other financially well-off inmates.
Three-four jail account cards were used by Satyendar Jain and his close aide Sanjay Gupta to purchase consumables from the jail canteen. This was done to circumvent the monthly monetary limit of Rs. 7000/- per card per month.
The mulakat records for the month of September and October shows that Poonam Jain and other family members met Satyendar Jain in jail on several occasions at restricted places in the Jail premises not meant for such visits.
There are repeated entries of family members of Satyendar Jain into the Deodhi of the Jail No. 7 without any authorization of the competent authority. This is a blatant and serious violation of the Delhi Prison Rules, 2018 as the Deodhi of the Jail is a safe and secure place owing to the inward and outward movements of the inmates by the jail authorities. This place is not earmarked for the purposes of Mulakats of the prisoners.