Tihar orders inquiry into special treatment to Kalmadi

Tihar Prison authorities today ordered an inquiry into reports claiming that sacked CWG organising committee chairman Suresh Kalmadi is getting special treatment inside the jail premises.

Jail Superintendent S C Bharadwaj, in whose room Kalmadi was reportedly found having tea by inspecting trial court judge Brijesh Kumar Garg during a surprise visit to the jail on June 30, has also been transferred to Port Blair but the officials said it was not related to the alleged incident.

"The officer-in-charge of Vigilance Dinesh Gandhi will carry out the inquiry and submit a report within 48 hours," Deputy Inspector General (Prisons) R N Sharma said after a meeting of all jail superintendents this afternoon where they were apparently pulled up over the reports.

Kalmadi, an accused in Commonwealth Games scams, is lodged in Jail No. 4 of Tihar Prisons since May.

"Bharadwaj was not relieved from his position on Friday because of the incident. His transfer orders have been given to him over a month ago and he was due to go on Friday," Sharma said.

"We have ordered an inquiry into the matter and in another 48 hours we can explain the whole matter. We do not have access to the report (by Garg) till now but based on the inquiry report we will take action against the erring jail official," Sharma said.

The DIG said, "The inspecting trial court judge had visited us on Thursday and was present in the Jail Superintendent's room. Kalmadi too was waiting there for the van to take him to the hospital. Then tea arrived and Kalmadi too was offered. Other than this, we have no knowledge of any special treatment being given to him,"

He also denied allegations of prisoners strolling around from one jail to another.

"Whatever allegations of wrong doings inside the prison have been made, the truth would be known once the inquiry report is out. We have held a meeting of all jail superintendents and taken up the issue with them," the DIG said.