With the police force reeling under allegations of corruption by senior prison officials, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, on Thursday, said that he will order a probe into the report submitted by DIG (Prisons) D. Roopa that implicates senior officials.
In her report, submitted to top police brass on Wednesday, Ms. Roopa accused Bengaluru Director General (Prisons) H.N. Satyanarayana Rao and other prison officials of accepting a bribe of ₹2 crore from AIADMK interim general secretary V.K. Sasikala for allowing her preferential treatment at the Bengaluru Central Prison in Parappana Agrahara where she is serving time.
Speaking to presspersons in Lingasugur taluk of Raichur district, where he laid the foundation for a Lift Irrigation Scheme, the Chief Minister said he would order a detailed inquiry, but did not divulge information on how the probe would be carried out.
Ms. Roopa told the media on Thursday that she stands by her findings. “As a responsible officer, I have inspected the prison, made enquiries, and submitted the report. I am ready to face any probe and have no vested interest in this,” she said.
Mr. Satyanarayana Rao reiterated that the allegations were baseless. “Even Tamil Nadu Ministers have not been allowed to meet Sasikala. Ms. Roopa’s report was sent to me after office hours and leaked to the media. She cannot make allegation based on hearsay,” said Mr. Rao. “Forget about taking money, I have not accepted even a biscuit from anyone.”
In her report, Ms. Roopa claimed that preferential treatment had also been given to other inmates, including Abdul Kareem Telgi, who was provided with attendants. Mr. Rao, however, countered the claim saying that Telgi had been given attendants based on a court direction.
Another bone of contention is that the report was leaked to the media before he could get a chance to read it. “It was sent after office hours. How can they expect me to look at it,” Mr. Rao said.
However Ms. Roopa later said the report was sent to him at around 4.30 p.m., and denied allegations that she had leaked it to the press. “I have proof for all the points I have raised, and they are not merely hearsay. If the DGP has any doubts, let him conduct the probe,” she said.
Drug and mobile phone usage
Mr. Rao, however, did acknowledge that there have been instances of inmates using ganja and mobile phones, but said measures are being taken to prevent this. On the matter of inmates allegedly assaulting prison doctors on June 29, he said that they had been shifted to another prison.
