Satyendar Jain received “Special Treatment” in Tihar Jail: Delhi Court

TNI Bureau: Satyendar Jain, a jailed AAP minister, was given preferential treatment in Tihar Jail before the responsible authorities were transferred, a Delhi court said on Saturday. The judge made this remark while rejecting Jain’s request for instructions on how to get special foods, such dried fruits, for his religious beliefs, from the jail administration.

The court of Special Judge Vikas Dhull rejected the argument, stating that Jain was receiving preferential treatment from the jail staff by being given fruits and vegetables, in violation of both jail regulations and Article 14 of the constitution. Inmates are only permitted to consume normal jail meals, but they are permitted to purchase other foods from the jail cafeteria, such as fruits and vegetables.

The court noted that the Tihar Jail records show that Satyendar Jain didn’t buy any fruit or vegetables from the jail canteen between August 20 and October 10 except on one occasion, asserting that the government cannot grant special privileges to anyone.

“This court believes that the employees of Tihar Jail No. 7, where the applicant was imprisoned, furnished the applicant with fruits and vegetables in contravention of the DPR 2018 without a directive from the DG Prison or any other authority. As the State is required to treat all prisoners equally and there can be no discrimination on the basis of caste, creed, sex, religion, status, or any other factor, the provision of fruits and vegetables to the applicant was a violation of Article 14 of the Constitution of India, 1950”. The court added.

The fact that Jain received preferential treatment after 26 Jail No. 7 employees were transferred and the Superintendent of Jail No. 7 was placed on administrative leave, according to the court, proves that Jain was given preferential treatment. The judge said that this at a minimum demonstrates that staff members of jail number 7 gave Jain special treatment by giving them fruits and vegetables.

It is noticeable that Satyendar Jain’s detention in Tihar Jail has generated controversy as many CCTV videos surfaced demonstrating his treatment as a VVIP in the jail cell. Regular massages, bottled drinks, and special meals were provided for him, and the cell also had a TV. Jain has already filed a motion with the court to stop the release of surveillance video taken in his cell.