Dhinakaran rejects charges of special treatment for Sasikala in prison

AIADMK (Amma) Deputy General Secretary T T V Dhinakaran today dismissed allegations of special treatment for his aunt and party chief V K Sasikala in prison, asserting that she was being treated as per rules.

In his first reaction since the allegations surfaced, Dhinakaran rubbished claims of payment of bribe for the alleged special treatment.

Speaking to reporters here, he said such allegations were false, adding “we have not even met the DGP (Karnataka).” He said the Supreme Court had only awarded simple imprisonment to Sasikala. Hence, permission to wear personal clothing (rather than one meant for convicts) was as per rules and jail manual and similar to treatment accorded to other prison inmates, he claimed. Seeking to explain further, Dhinakaran said when he was recently incarcerated in Tihar jail, he had a fan, a television and newspapers and these were given as per norms with the permission of authorities.

He said some television channels were making false claims in this regard by airing some visuals, adding that his party would be forced to initiate defamation proceedings against them. “Our enemies” are seeking to politicise allegations made by a Karnataka official and jail inmates are “being unnecessarily dragged” into the controversy, he said. …read more