A brand new video that appeared to indicate a superintendent assembly Delhi minister Satyendar Jain inside his jail cell at Tihar jail was broadly circulated on social media platforms on Saturday, prompting the Bharatiya Janata Occasion (BJP) to resume its assault on the Aam Aadmi Occasion (AAP) authorities over allegations of particular remedy to Jain in jail.
Ajit Kumar was the superintendent of jail quantity 7, the place Jain is lodged since Could 31 in a money-laundering case registered by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). He was suspended in November for allegedly being concerned in offering “particular remedy” to the Delhi minister.
In movies launched earlier, Jain may very well be seen getting again, foot and head massages in his cell, studying some paperwork and speaking to guests.
Delhi BJP chief Adesh Gupta, who shared the video on Twitter, stated it confirmed Kumar visiting Jain inside his jail at 7.52pm on September 12. “The previous jail minister is getting a royal remedy. Now the jail superintendent has come to mark his attendance and be certain that there aren’t any lapses is making certain a royal remedy for him,” Gupta posted on Twitter.
Till his arrest within the ED case, Jain, Delhi’s former well being minister, additionally held the prisons portfolio.
Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday stated the upcoming Municipal Company of Delhi (MCD) elections had grow to be a contest between “10 movies of the BJP and 10 duties carried out by the Kejriwal authorities”. The individuals will reply on December 4, he stated in an obvious reference to the string of movies that includes Jain.
The MCD elections will probably be held on December 4 and the outcomes will probably be declared on December 7.
On November 14, Kumar was suspended as Tihar superintendent for circumventing guidelines and giving particular amenities to Jain. Till his suspension, Kumar was the top of Jail 7, the place Jain is lodged. Others who assisted Kumar have been additionally suspended, whereas 28 jail officers have been transferred, in response to officers.
A Delhi court docket, in the meantime, on Saturday stated the AAP minister was prime facie being given “preferential remedy” inside Tihar jail in violation of guidelines, which has now been stopped. Particular decide Vikas Dhull made the remark whereas dismissing Jain’s plea, which sought course to Tihar officers to offer him particular meals objects in response to his non secular beliefs.
Delhi BJP chief Parvesh Verma once more demanded Jain’s expulsion from the celebration and as a minister. “That is the primary time within the historical past of the nation {that a} sitting minister has been in jail for six months; the court docket has rejected the bail however he has not nonetheless resigned from the put up. The video reveals Jain is working a ‘chaupaal’ in his cell, assembly with the jail superintendent and his so known as “therapist” who later turned out to be a rapist,” Verma stated.
HT couldn’t independently confirm the authenticity of the video. Jain has filed a petition in a court docket, accusing ED of leaking CCTV footage. He has additionally requested the court docket to direct the company to cease leaking movies of his keep within the jail.
The newest video reveals Jain in his cell with at the very least three different individuals earlier than the now-suspended superintendent walks in and sits on a chair subsequent to his mattress.
Tihar’s former regulation officer, Sunil Gupta, who labored within the jail for over three a long time, stated: “The gates of the jail are locked after 6.30pm. Prisoners can not step out after that point.”
Final month, the ministry of residence affairs (MHA) sought a report from Delhi chief secretary Naresh Kumar relating to allegations that Jain was availing “particular remedy” contained in the jail in connivance with jail authorities. The house ministry sought the report after ED knowledgeable a Delhi court docket that Jain was residing a “luxurious life-style” with amenities similar to face, head and foot massages, fruits and salads in addition to assembly his relations and witnesses of the case during which he has been arrested.
ED arrested Jain in Could below the Prevention of Cash Laundering Act (PMLA). The central company’s probe relies on a 2017 case of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) during which the AAP chief and his spouse Poonam Jain are accused of amassing disproportionate belongings value ₹1.47 crore between February 2015 and Could 2017.
Jain has denied the allegations, and the AAP has described the CBI and ED motion as “political vendetta”.
Final week, a video was circulated on social media during which Jain was seen getting a therapeutic massage from an inmate in his cell inside Tihar, sparking a pointy offensive from the BJP.
Whereas deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia stated it was a part of Jain’s physiotherapy required after surgical procedure, BJP nationwide spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia stated the video confirmed that Jain was being handled as a VIP. “Why is that this therapeutic massage being offered to the prisoner? Why is Jain not within the jail uniform meant for prisoners? The video reveals 4 individuals in Jain’s cell. Why are so many individuals being allowed within the cell? The chief minister ought to reply this,” he stated.
The AAP has denied Jain was getting a therapeutic massage and in addition stated that it was strain remedy offered to Jain on a physician’s suggestion. “The BJP leaked the tape, is weaving a false narrative and is making enjoyable of the person. Jain is in jail for six months. Whereas in jail, he slipped and was injured within the backbone. As a result of this backbone harm, he has undergone two surgical procedures and whereas discharging him, the docs had advisable that physiotherapy needs to be offered,” Sisodia stated after a video launched final week.
The BJP later stated the person seen within the video was a jail inmate accused of raping a minor.