Security has been beefed up in Tihar’s Jail Number 1 after former chairman of the Commonwealth Games Organising Committee Suresh Kalmadi was taken in a 14-day judicial custody.
Mr Kalmadi, who reached the Tihar Jail at around 8 pm on Wednesday, had asked for extra security from jail officials. “Since Kalmadi was attacked while attending a hearing at the Patiala House court premises, we have orders to provide extra security during his stay in Tihar,” said a senior Tihar Jail official. Last Tuesday, as Mr Kalmadi was being taken to the Patiala House courts, a lawyer from Madhya Pradesh had tried to attack him with a slipper.
Talking to this newspaper, the chief PRO of the Tihar jail, Sunil Gupta, further said, “We might consider shifting Mr Kalmadi to the Rohini jail if there are security concerns.” However, we are satisfied with the security cover we have for Mr Kalmadi at Jail Number 1, added Mr Gupta. The jail officials, while speaking to the media, on Wednesday also confirmed that Mr Kalmadi had requested for access to newspapers to be updated about the developments related to his case. “Mr Kalmadi had requested for a subscription of a daily news paper. However, the jail authorities are yet to take a decision on it,” said a Tihar Jail official.
Meanwhile, the officials also confirmed that Kalmadi will be given two meals daily during his stay at the Tihar.
Jail officials also pointed out that Kalmadi will be lodged in Tihar’s jail number 1 along with some other politicians and high-ranking bureaucrats who are serving their terms for currpution and other criminal charges. However, the jail officials refused to name the other people who are also lodged in the jail number 1.
Mr Suresh Kalmadi, who is accused of corruption in his capacity as chairman of the CWG Organising Committee, is now serving 14 days of judicial custody in connection with the Time-Scoring-Result (TSR) scam in the last year’s mega sporting event.
Allowing the application of the probe agency, Special CBI Judge Dharmesh Sharma, in his five page order, sent Mr Kalmadi, OC joint director general (sport) A.S.V. Prasad and OC deputy director general (procurement) Surjit Lal to 14 days judicial custody till May 18.