Siddaramaiah denies ordering special treatment to Sasikala

Siddaramaiah was reacting to reports quoting former DGP Prisons Sathyanarayana Rao that on his (Siddaramiah's) instructions the amenities were provided to Sasikala at the Parapana Agrahara central prison, where she is serving her term in a corruption case.

"A delegation from Tamil Nadu had come to me stating that Sasikala was not even given a mat and pillow. Then Sathyanarayana Rao was DGP (Prisons). I had asked him to see what help can be done according to the jail manual,"  Siddaramaiah told reporters.

He said "I had not asked (him) to give special amenity.

I had told, give a mat and pillow, if it is allowed under the jail manual."

According to reports, in a statement given before the inquiry officer which was submitted before the court, Rao had said that a cot, bed and pillow were provided to Sasikala in the jail on instructions from the Chief Minister.

A probe has been ordered against Rao over allegations that Rs two crore was paid to jail officials to provide special treatment to Sasikala in the prison last year.

Rao had yesterday moved the Karnataka High Court questioning  February 26 government order directing Anti-Corruption Bureau  (ACB) to register a case against him under sections of  Prevention of Corruption Act in this regard.

Speaking to reporters, Rao today said he had placed  all the documents before the court.

"Class one facility was not given at all. The matter is before the High Court of Karnataka, the affidavit filed by  me, statement given by me before the inquiry officer, is all  before the high court. Things will be known during the next  hearing... making  any statement now will not be proper," Rao  said.

Questioned whether the Chief Minister had told him to provide pillow and other amenities to Sasikala, he said "It is there in my statement, things will be known during the next hearing."

On whether he was accusing the Chief  Minister, he said "it is not an accusation...let the high court  decide, as the matter is before it."

The then DIG Prisons D Roopa in July last year had  brought to light the alleged special treatment given to  Sasikala and also said there was "a talk" that Rs 2 crore had  been paid as bribe to the officials in this regard.

Roopa had levelled the charges in a report to Rao, being her superior then, while  mentioning that there were allegations against him too.

The decision to order the ACB probe was taken after the Vinay Kumar Committee, which was set up to look into the alleged preferential treatment to Sasikala, submitted its  report to the government recently.

On the case going to ACB even after the inquiry  committee report, Rao said "I don't know about it, that's the  reason I have moved the high court."

Sasikala, a close aide of late Tamil Nadu Chief  Minister J Jayalaalitha, is serving a four-year sentence in  the prison here in a disproportionate assets case.