Jailhouse rock: Amarmani party for Madhumita ‘killer’

Arrested for Madhumita Shukla’s murder but declared the saviour of Uttar Pradesh by Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav, Amarmani Tripat...

Arrested for Madhumita Shukla’s murder but declared the saviour of Uttar Pradesh by Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav, Amarmani Tripathi was never expected to sweat it out in Lucknow jail. But even UP may not be prepared for what he’s doing instead.

Last evening, the former minister was having a blast at a party thrown by him on the jail premises in honour of fellow inmate and main accused in Madhumita’s murder, Prakash Chand Pandey. The occasion: Pandey’s wedding anniversary.

Apart from a grand dinner—including quail, chicken and venison—liquor flowed freely inside the jail. The invitees included other inmates and guests from outside. Among the ‘‘special invitees’’ was notorious Bihar legislator Rajan Tiwari, also in the same jail.

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Far from protesting, the jail administration reportedly turned a blind eye while preparations for the celebrations were on for two days. Jail Superintendent Sanjeev Tripathi blanked out all queries with ‘‘I have nothing to say on the issue.’’

But today there were strict restrictions in place in the jail: there was no way of getting to the barracks where Amarmani is lodged. The former minister has been enjoying VVIP facilities at the Lucknow jail ever since he was lodged here in October last year. The CBI which charged him in the Madhumita murder case had even objected to Amarmani enjoying free movement within and outside the jail at the special CBI court, but things have not changed.

Neither are they likely to. Among Amarmani’s many visitors in jail are Mulayam’s ministers, including his younger brother Shiv Pal.

Samjwadi Party MP Beni Prasad Verma, who also happens to be the father of UP Prisons Minister Rakesh Kumar, sees nothing wrong or new in entertainment within jail premises.

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According to him, it happens all the time, in all jails. ‘‘There should be no objection to such entertainment programmes…objection should be raised when outsiders get access to these functions,’’ Verma told The Indian Express.

At least in UP, that’s true. Two months ago, Mulayam’s minister Raja Ram Pandey was believed to have organised the mushaira held inside Pratapgarh jail in the honour of Raja Bhaiyya, who is lodged there under POTA. Poets sung Raja Bhaiyya praises, while the District Magistrate and SSP shared the sumptuous meal that followed.