Punjab gives Delhi govt consent to shift Chautala to Bathinda jail

The Parkash Singh Badal government has given the green light to the Delhi government for transferring former Haryana chief minister Om Prakash Chautala to Bathinda central jail in Punjab from Tihar, said official sources.

The Parkash Singh Badal government has given the green light to the Delhi government for transferring former Haryana chief minister Om Prakash Chautala to Bathinda central jail in Punjab from Tihar, said official sources.

Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) chief Chautala was sentenced to 10-year jail in January 2013 after being convicted by a Delhi court in a teachers' recruitment case. The Delhi government's home department on Monday told the Punjab government that after receiving the mandatory no-objection certificate (NOC), necessary administrative action was being taken to fast-track the transfer.

The jail transfer file of the INLD chief after being cleared by the Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal will go to Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung for clearance, government sources said.

Om Prakash Chautala, former chief-minister of Haryana (HT Photo)

The Punjab government, sources say, had faxed the NOC to the Delhi government last week after obtaining clearances from the state police and intelligence wing.

The Delhi government had sent a communication seeking consent of the Punjab government on Om Prakash Chautala's plea to transfer him to Bathinda jail from Tihar. Delhi's deputy secretary (home), in an August 14 communication to the Punjab's home department, had also sent Tihar jail superintendent's letter along with an application submitted by Chautala wife in this regard. Chautala, who is a close friend of Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal, has specifically sought transfer to Bathinda jail apparently as his Teja Khera village in Sirsa district of Haryana is adjoining Bathinda.

It is understood that another primary reason behind Chautala seeking transfer to Punjab is that the INLD chief will get parole without much efforts besides the much-needed "hospitality" which the aging Haryana politician is ostensibly missing in Tihar where the rule book is followed in letter and spirit.

In Tihar jail, norms are followed rigorously when it comes to allowing visitors to meet inmates. A few months back, sources say, Badal had gone to Tihar to meet Chautala without following the mandatory process and the Tihar administration had not allowed the Punjab CM to meet his friend.