No special treatment to Honeypreet in jail, says prison minister
SAYS HE CHECKED CCTV FOOTAGE OF OCT 26 AS IT WAS CLAIMED THAT A CAR CARRYING THE INMATE’S RELATIVES WAS ALLOWED INSIDE THE CENTRAL JAIL
AMBALA :Haryana jail and transport minister Krishan Lal Panwar on Monday said Honeypreet, the adopted daughter of rape convict Dera Sacha Sauda head Gurmeet Ram Rahim, was not being given any special treatment in the Ambala Central Jail where she was lodged after her arrest following the Panchkula violence.
Panwar was talking to mediapersons after visiting the central jail after it was alleged that VIP treatment was being given to the undertrial prisoner.
The minister said he examined the CCTV (closed-circuit television) footage of October 26 as it was claimed in the media that a car carrying Honeypreet’s relatives was allowed inside the jail.
He claimed that the jail manual has not been violated and her relatives were allowed to meet her for only eight minutes following the proper procedure like ordinary inmates .
In reply to a question, he said the car was allowed inside till the outer lawn of the jail as a female relative of Honeypreet was ill.
Earlier also, the jail authorities have been giving permission for vehicles due to security reasons keeping in mind special circumstances.
The minister said six of Honeypreet’s relatives, including her parents, were allowed to meet her as per the list given by her and that the car (HR 2680) which was allowed was registered in the name of her father Ramanand at Sirsa.
In reply to another question, the minister said checking use of tinted glasses in the vehicle was the traffic police’s responsibility and the jail authorities have been asked to inform the district police in future.
Denying the allegations about special food being provided to Honeypreet, Panwar claimed that she was being given the same food given to other inmates.