New CCTV footage of jailed Delhi minister sparks flak from BJP
NEW DELHI: Fresh videos of jailed minister Satyendar Jain emerged on Wednesday in which he is seen eating uncooked vegetables and fruits in his Tihar jail cell, with Union minister Meenakshi Lekhi alleging he is enjoying facilities akin to a holiday resort.
The videos surfaced days after he moved a city court alleging he is not being provided raw food according to his religious beliefs. However, the purported videos are dated September 13 and October 1.
AAP is already facing flak over videos of the minister getting a massage inside the prison. There was no immediate reaction to the fresh videos by the party.
While the party had said Jain was advised physiotherapy for a spinal injury, sources had claimed on Tuesday that the person, who was seen giving him massage, was a rape accused.
The BJP and Congress had assailed the party while AAP state convener Gopal Rai said the BJP was using such issues to tarnish the image of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.
Addressing a press conference, Lekhi also referred to the earlier videos showing Jain getting massage in Tihar. “I would not allow such a person to even come close to me. Imagine that person massaging his feet,” she said.
“Added facilities like television, packed food and massage in Jain’s cell show as if he is some holiday resort,” she said.
Lekhi also hit out at Kejriwal and accused him of “failing” to solve the problems of Delhi and instead campaigning in poll bound states for AAP’s expansion to achieve his aim of becoming prime minister.
A Delhi court had on Tuesday sought the Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) response to a plea by Jain seeking a direction to Tihar officials to provide him food items like fruits, dry fruits and dates as per his religious beliefs as he was observing a fast.
The petition, filed on Monday, claimed the jail administration had stopped providing him basic food that is partaken under his religion for the last 12 days.
“The CCTV footage from Jain’s cell in Tihar negates his claims of not getting proper food in jail. He has been getting the food of his choice, including fruits and dry fruits, as the video shows,” a source said.
According to the plea filed in court by Jain, who was arrested by the ED in a money laundering case in May, he has been surviving on fruits, vegetables, seeds and dry fruits or dates.