New Delhi, Nov 2: Delhi Special Judge Pradeep Chaddah has directed Tihar jail authorities to stop use of a special jail van to ferry three high-profile prisoners who are accused in the Commonwealth Games scam, The Indian Express reported.
The report said, four months after an inspecting judge highlighted that Tihar Jail authorities had different norms for high-profile undertrial prisoners like sacked Commonwealth Games chief Suresh Kalmadi, there is fresh controversy.
Three men, chargesheeted for alleged irregularities in awarding a street lighting upgradation contract for the Games, were provided special vans for transportation to the court and back.
The “special treatment” prompted a trial court judge, “surprised” by the “privilege” for a few, to pass an order directing jail authorities to treat them like ordinary prisoners.
The matter came to light during a hearing last week when D K Sugan, an MCD superintending engineer, moved an application before Special Judge Pradeep Chaddah and demanded “parity” with his fellow accused. His plea contended that he should also be provided a special van like businessman T P Singh and J P Singh and MCD superintending engineer O P Mahala.
The CBI chargesheet alleged that the MCD officials Mahala and Sugan, V Raju and Gurcharan Singh conspired with businessmen T P Singh and J P Singh to grant undue favour to their firm. They were arrested in July and have been since facing prosecution before a Tis Hazari court.
In his plea, Sugan claimed his situation was no different from that of his co-accused and if they had been given the privilege of not travelling with hardened criminals, he also deserved it.
The judge then called an official from the lock-up to explain why the three accused were being transported in a separate van. But the query drew a blank.
“I am surprised there is apparently no reason why three accused are being given special treatment,” the judge said. He ordered the jail superintendent concerned to withdraw the privilege and send the accused to court only in an ordinary vehicle.
Director General (Prisons) Neeraj Kumar said: “The three inmates in question were being sent to court in a separate van because of threat perceptions against them. There is no question of providing special treatment to anyone. Moreover, these three travelled with 15 others.”
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