Home Minister Vangalapudi Anitha suddenly inspected district jail at Vijayawada and questioned jail authorities why did they buy new TVs and refrigerators when former Director of Mines Venkata Reddy was a remand prisoner in Vijayawada District Jail? At whose instigation did you do all this? Why did you buy something that you never had in a hurry at that time and take it to jail?, she asked.
She warned them not to lose their jobs for the sake of corrupt people. She went to the prisoners’ barracks and spoke to them. She inquired about their food, accommodation and health. Venkata Reddy, who was arrested by the ACB in connection with irregularities in the department, was in Vijayawada jail as a remand prisoner from September 27 to November 16 this year.
During that time, allegations were made about buying a fridge and TVs and keeping them in the jail. Anitha questioned the jail authorities about the need to provide so many facilities in the jail. It is learnt that the jail doctor had asked in writing on October 4 for a fridge to store insulin and other medicines, but the supervisor had explained to the minister that he had not signed it.
‘I was on leave from 7 to 15 of that month on personal work. On the 7th, he said that he had written again to ask for a fridge. On the 10th, a new fridge arrived at the jail. It was kept in the doctor’s room’, he said.
“On the 16th, while I was on rounds, Venkata Reddy asked for a TV. The TVs were not working in two barracks. As per the DIG’s orders, we sent an indent for two TVs on October 25. The TVs reached the prison a few days later,’ it seems, as she explained to the minister.
After the inspections, Minister Anitha spoke to the media outside the prison and said that an investigation has been launched into the allegations that some items were taken to the prison while Venkat Reddy was a remand prisoner in Vijayawada jail. She said that an investigation is underway to determine whether the fridge and TVs were indented in advance or on the spot.
She said that an investigation is also being conducted against the medical officer and the investigation will be completed in three days. She assured that action will be taken against those found responsible.