The government plans to go to court soon seeking cancellation of the luxuries prisoners enjoy,the move prompted by what minister of state for home Ramesh Bagwe saw during a recent visit to Arthur Road jail. The Minister found that gangsters Abu Salem and Mustafa Dossa had the most lavish lifestyles. Salem reportedly had access to five-star toilet facilities,put up indecent posters of models in his cell and once demanded a special soap for a skin infection. Dossa reportedly got a steady supply of fruits and good food. All prisoners are entitled to transistors,dumb-bells,one-litre thermos flasks,nail-cutters,waist-belts,crockery plates and mineral water (paid for by the prisoner),the privileges allowed by various courts over the years. Undertrials are allowed to have food from home with court approval. A special TADA court order allows prisoners to take numerous items with them to the cell. We will move court so that all these benefits are scrapped, Home Minister R R Patil told the Legislative Council Monday. Any item taken inside without permission would be confiscated,he said. About Salem and Dossa,he said,We are spending more money on them (Salem and Dossa) than on the beneficiaries of the Employment Guarantee Scheme. We have to think even about what type of soap they should be provided. Patil has ordered an inquiry into charges that Salem and Dossa were being provided undue facilities by the jail administration. He said Salem was being given newspapers and he had cut out models pictures and put them up in the cell. He did not clarify if the pictures would be removed. Patil cited the jail authorities limitations: Arthur Road jail houses 2,100 prisoners though its capacity is 804,and employs 107 people though its requirement is 265. They are on duty for up to 15 hours a day. In such circumstances it becomes difficult to inspect who has what, he said. Leader of the Opposition Eknath Khadse had raised the issue in the Assembly. The government has been exposed. This is an example of how effective the police are and how the system has been infested with corruption, he said. Bala Nandgaonkar of the MNS demanded a committee of legislators for inspecting jails. Patil said he would inspect the jail together with Khadse and Nandgaonkar after the session ends and said he had no objection to a committee of legislators for inspection. He assured the Assembly that death row convict Ajmal Kasab is being kept in a separate barrack and security is tight. SALEM TAKE: TREATED BADLY,WILL Sue Abu Salem is likely to move the special TADA court complaining abut problems he has allegedly faced in jail,and the poor conditions at Arthur Road prison. Salem was taken to Bhopal on Monday. He was shifted to the Taloja prison on Sunday morning. Lawyer Saba Qureshi,who spoke to him for 20 minutes,said,He is being kept alone inside the anda cell,his hands,cheek and neck in bandages. We had got an order for admission to J J Hospital but the prison authorities havent complied yet. Lawyer Rashid Ansari said,He discussed the entire episode with us and now we are discussing the further course of action with senior lawyers.
