NEW DELHI, Mar 18:
Delhi Government has sought transfer of former Haryana Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala, his son Ajay and 53 other convicts in the teachers’ job scam and Vishal and Vikash Yadav, serving life term in the Nitish Katara murder case, from Tihar Jail to prisons in their home states.
Home Department of Delhi Government has written a letter to Home Secretary of Haryana seeking transfer of 55 convicts in the teachers’ recruitment scam to a jail in their state. A similar letter was written to Home Secretary of UP for transfer of Vishal and Vikash Yadav.
The Delhi government made the requests to the two states on recommendation of the Tihar Jail authorities.
In case of the convicts in the teachers’ recruitment scam, the Tihar authorities conveyed to Delhi Government that the prisoners should be shifted to a jail in Haryana as their relatives are finding it difficult to come and meet them.
In case of Vikash and Vishal Yadav, Tihar authorities said as they are from Uttar Pradesh, both can be shifted to Lucknow jail. The communication by Tihar Jail to Delhi Government also mentioned that Vishal was suffering from tuberculosis and needs proper treatment.
Delhi government sources said the requests to Haryana and Uttar Pradesh governments have been sent following recommendations by Tihar Jail authorities.
“There is nothing unusual in seeking transfer of inmates to jails in their home states. We have suo motu sent the recommendations to Delhi Government. We have been making such recommendations,” Tihar PRO Sunil Kumar Gupta said.
He said so many prisoners were shifted to jails in their home states in last few years which include former Lok Sabha member Rajesh Ranjan alias Pappu Yadav and Mukhtar Ansari.
“Pappu Yadav was transferred to Beur jail in Bihar while Ansari was shifted to Agra Central jail on recommendation of Tihar Jail authorities,” said Gupta.
He said another reason for the recommendation to shift the prisoners was to cut the number of inmates in the “overcrowded” jail. “Against a capacity of 6,250 inmates, currently the jail has around 12,500 prisoners,” Gupta said.
On January 16, a court here had held 78-year-old Om Prakash Chautala, his son Ajay and 53 others guilty of illegally recruiting 3,206 junior basic trained (JBT) teachers in the state in 2000. Chautala and his son were sentenced to 10 years imprisonment.
Vishal and Vikash Yadav were convicted in 2008 by the trial court for kidnapping and later murdering Nitish Katara, son of an IAS officer, as they were against his love affair with their sister Bharati Yadav. (PTI)