Sasikala jail perk row: Defiant D. Roopa ready to face defamation suit

Former deputy inspector general (Prisons) D. Roopa on Thursday said she wouldn't apologise and is ready to face the court proceedings after former Director General of Police (Prisons) H.N. Sathyanarayana Rao sent a legal notice asking her for her unconditional apology into the alleged bribery remarks she had made against him.

The notice is about the allegations made by Roopa against Rao. She alleged that higher ups of the jail authorities were bribed Rs. 2 crore to grant special privileges to AIADMK general secretary V.K. Sasikala at the Parappana Agrahara prison.

"I head what his lawyer said and in that he admitted of irregularities, that is what I said that irregularities exist. So instead of standing by me, instead of setting right, instead of accepting my report and setting things right, he gave me notices and memos," Roopa told ANI.

"This clearly shows which side he is. So what prevented him from not taking my side and accepting the report and many other things which his advocate has spoken are factually wrong and I did as part of my duty and I am ready to face these charges," she added.

The seven-page notice states that Roopa tried to "damage the integrity and reputation of Sathyanarayan Rao," which according to law comes under defamation.

The notice has asked Roopa to tender an unconditional apology within three days of receiving it, failing which Rao will file criminal and civil suits for defamation, for Rs. 50 crore.

The notice also said that Rao will also be approaching the concerned Income Tax Department to find out the source from where the "alleged Rs. 2 crore were mobilised."

Roopa grabbed headlines after exposing the alleged irergulatires into the central prison, following which, she was transferred to the traffic department as the Inspector General of Police and Commissioner for Traffic and Road Safety.