Massage for VIP prisoner

Former MLA Rajan Tiwari, currently being held at the high security Beur jail here, visited a beauty parlour when he was taken out of the prison for an appearance in court.

Former MLA Rajan Tiwari, currently being held at the high security Beur jail here, visited a beauty parlour when he was taken out of the prison for an appearance in court.

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Five policemen, including an inspector and four constables, were today suspended for dereliction of duty in connection with the incident that occurred yesterday, officials said.

Tiwari, a former MLA from Govindganj, is in prison in connection with cases related to the killing of RJD legislator Brij Bihari Prasad, a minister in former chief minister Lalu Prasad's cabinet, and CPI-M MLA Ajit Sarkar in 1998.

Media reports suggested Tiwari went out of the jail and visited the parlour for a body massage, but Jail Superintendent Dilip Kumar Singh said it was true the high- profile prisoner was sighted at the parlour but had not gone there from prison.

Singh, who was asked by Inspector General (Prisons) Ramesh Lal to probe the matter, told PTI that Tiwari was sent to a trial court for an appearance in the hearing of the case related to the murder of Brij Bihari Prasad.

"While being taken back to the prison, Tiwari walked to the massage parlour before entering jail," Singh said, ruling out the involvement of any jail official in the matter.

According to practice, prisoners are handed over to local police for being taken to court.

"I have submitted my inquiry report to the IG (Prisons)," Singh said, adding it was now up to the state government to take suitable action against the policemen who accompanied Tiwari.

Violation of prison regulations by high-profile prisoners in Bihar, including Rajesh Ranjan alias Pappu Yadav, have attracted the ire of the Patna High Court.