SHRC report confirms my report on preferential treatment:

Image
Press Trust of India Bengaluru
Last Updated : Oct 09 2017 | 8:57 PM IST
Former DIG D Roopa today said the State Human Rights Commission'sreport on "preferential treatment" to influentialprisoners and torture of some inmates at the Parappana Agrahara central jail here by prison authorities, corroborated her probe report.
Roopa had created ripples with her internal report alleging preferential treatment to AIADMK leader V K Sasikala at the jail. The report had sought a probe into allegations that Rs 2 crore was paid as bribe by Sasikala for preferential treatment in prison.
"The SHRC's report is in my favour as it corroborates my probe report submitted to my senior officials. The commission report states that some prison officials had given preferential treatment to politically-connected prisoners, and tortured prisoners who protested my transfer from the prisonsdepartment," she told PTI here.
The former deputy inspector general (prisons) had submitted the report to then DGP (prisons) Sathyanarayana Rao. Roopa had also levelled charges against Rao.
Rao has retired since then, while Roopa was transferred to another post.
Days after Roopa submitted her report, some prisoners were reportedly shifted to different prisons across Karnataka, includingBallari and Belagavi.
"I had been to the prison on July 15 as part of my duty. Some prisoners aired grievances against some senior officials.After I left, I came to know that they were beaten upmercilessly," Roopa said.
"On July 16, around 1 am, as many as 32 prisoners, who were vocal, were shifted to other jails, without even informing me. This itself raises questions about the intention of prison officials. What was the need for shifting them hurriedly?" she asked.
"They were beaten up because of the gravity of the matter. If they would have aired small issues, they would not have been beaten up," she said.
Roopa also said the pictures and video footage of limping prisoners, which was captured when they were taken inside different prisons across the state, establishes the proof of inhuman treatment meted out to them.
"The video footage and pictures of prisoners limping and taken on wheelchairs, taken by a few waiting journalists at different prisons across the state, also establishes the proof of torture, which I had reported to my seniors," she said.
In his recent 72-page report, IGP (SHRC) Soumendu Mukherjee submitted that inmates were tortured and beaten up for exposing some prison authorities giving preferential treatment to politically-connected prisoners at the Parappana Agrahara Central Jail.
Asked about the status of investigation into the prison violations, Roopa said she was not aware of it.

Disclaimer: No Business Standard Journalist was involved in creation of this content

*Subscribe to Business Standard digital and get complimentary access to The New York Times

Smart Quarterly

₹900

3 Months

₹300/Month

SAVE 25%

Smart Essential

₹2,700

1 Year

₹225/Month

SAVE 46%
*Complimentary New York Times access for the 2nd year will be given after 12 months

Super Saver

₹3,900

2 Years

₹162/Month

Subscribe

Renews automatically, cancel anytime

Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans

Exclusive premium stories online

  • Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors

Complimentary Access to The New York Times

  • News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic

Business Standard Epaper

  • Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share

Curated Newsletters

  • Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox

Market Analysis & Investment Insights

  • In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor

Archives

  • Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997

Ad-free Reading

  • Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements

Seamless Access Across All Devices

  • Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app

More From This Section

First Published: Oct 09 2017 | 8:57 PM IST

Next Story