Bhima Koregaon 16 accused complains of corruption in Taloja jail canteen

The activist alleged that Sunil Patil, the senior inspector in charge of running the canteen, was reaping massive profits

Mumbai: Sagar Gorkhe, a cultural activist with the Pune-based cultural troupe Kabir Kala Manch and one of the arrested accused in the Bhima Koregaon case, has alleged that authorities at Taloja jail, where he is currently lodged, prepare lavish dishes for wealthy prisoners at the jail canteen, which hampers the quality of meals provided to inmates. These dishes, Gorkhe further wrote in a complaint to the Navi Mumbai Police Commissioner, are sold at high prices, ensuring massive profits for senior inspector Sunil Patil, who runs the canteen.

Navi Mumbai _September_12_ Prisoner counseling at Taloja jail, Navi Mumbai _September_12th Thursday_ 2013 Photos: Bachchan kumar

“Fried chicken, Hyderabadi-Muradabadi biryani, schezwan rice, prawn biryani, and similar dishes are prepared and sold to the rich and wealthy accused at high costs. This is eating into the ration for all prisoners, and the quality of food being given to other prisoners has deteriorated,” wrote Gorkhe, who recently cleared the law entrance examination from jail.

The activist alleged that though jail canteens are supposed to be run on a ‘no profit, no loss’ basis, Sunil Patil , the senior inspector in charge of running the canteen, was reaping massive profits. “It is a business worth lakhs,” he wrote in the complaint.

Although prison authorities provide meals to all inmates, additional provisions are available at the canteen for a price, said lawyers. “The prison canteen is like a grocery store where prisoners can buy prepared food using money orders they receive from friends and family. Although these food items are provisioned as per the number of inmates, wealthy prisoners corner portions of other prisoners because they can pay,” explained a lawyer.

“Besides, meals provided to inmates by prison authorities are so substandard and inadequate that they have no option but to depend on the canteen,” said activist Harshali Potdar.

Gorkhe and fellow Bhima Koregaon accused Mahesh Raut, also lodged at Taloja, had raised the matter with jail authorities, he wrote in his complaint. On June 18, Patil summoned the duo to the superintendent’s office, where “they warned us not to poke our nose into the corruption in the canteen”. Patil also spread word among prisoners “locked up in jail for many serious crimes” who were receiving special treatment that the “VIP service” provided to them would be curtailed due to the Elgar Parishad prisoners.

Gorkhe mentioned that he suffered from immense stress due to Patil’s threat, which increased his blood pressure. He also complained of dizziness and fever, for which he was referred to a hospital in Mumbai for treatment. “If any mathe-firu (mad man) attacks me or my co-accused, or any untoward incident occurs, the senior jailor Sunil Patil will be fully responsible,” he wrote in the complaint, fearing for his life. Copies of the complaint were sent to the National Investigation Agency, the Maharashtra State Human Rights Commission and the state home department.

Gorkhe’s lawyer said his client and the other Bhima Koregaon accused noticed the corruption in the jail canteen after they were shifted from the high security ward to the general ward a few months ago. Four Bhima Koregaon case accused including Gorkhe were earlier kept in the anda circle at the high security ward, which was in urgent need of repair, as reported by HT on July 4.

Taloja jail superintendent Pramod Wagh dismissed Gorkhe’s complaint as a pre-meditated conspiracy. “We have a paid canteen service where prisoners and undertrials pay and buy food. Gorkhe demands free food for himself and others. The inmates demand free chicken and food. They also want more food. We had intimated the court that Gorkhe would slap a false case against senior inspector Sunil Patil. We had also given prior intimation to the court about his threats. This is against the rules,” said Wagh.

(With inputs from Yogesh Naik)