Telgi wants home-made food and phone facility in jail

The alleged kingpin in the multi-billion rupee fake stamp paper scam Abdul Karim Telgi has filed an application before the Special Court seeking home-made food and phone facility at the Bangalore Central Jail, where he is lodged.

Telgi, who was brought to Bangalore from Yerawada jail in Pune about two months ago, said he was undergoing treatment for HIV, besides diabetes and blood pressure. “The doctors have advised him to take home-made food. Hence, I have filed an application seeking permission for the same under Section 30 of Karnataka Prisoners’ Act”, Telgi’s counsel M T Nanaiah told reporters.

“The jail authorities are not allowing him to take home-cooked food. His health is deteriorating because of this. Though there is a provision for providing home-made food to prisoners, the jail authorities are denying the same to him for security reasons”, Nanaiah said.

Telgi has also asked the Special Court permission for telephone facility in the jail so that he could speak to his counsel and relatives. “The Central jail located at Parappana Agrahara is about 25 kms away from the City. The counsel has to travel this long distance for any information regarding the case. It is very inconvenient. Hence, allow me access to telephone in the jail premises”, Telgi said in the application.

But, the jail authorities are believed to be strongly against providing telephone facility to Telgi in the jail as the service had been misused by several undertrials and convicts to carry out their nefarious activities from the jail premises.