BENGALURU: In an unprecedented move, the authorities at the Parappana Agrahara Central Prison have arranged round-the-clock security for Paari Rajan, the suspected kingpin of the lottery scam. It is said that no other high-profile inmate, be it a politician or a terror suspect, was guarded in such a way. Rajan was shifted from Kolar jail to the central prison on May 25. The very next day, the authorities decided to guard him 24 hours. As a result, three guards were posted on shifts – morning, afternoon till evening, and night – right in front of his cell in the special security block.
Sources in the prison department said as he is involved in the most infamous scams in the recent years, and many IPS officers are allegedly involved in it, the authorities did not want to take any chance. “From day one he was shifted to this prison, he is lodged in the special security block which has around 20 cells. The next day of his arrival, there was an order made by the DIG of prisons that Rajan should be guarded round-the-clock. This decision was made to ensure that Rajan won’t get access to mobile phones like other prisoners. Further, no visitors are being allowed to meet him as of now,” a source said.
“He was shifted to the Bengaluru jail on health grounds as he had complained of chest pain. Every day, the doctors at the jail hospital visit him in his cell and check his health,” the source added.
Further, it is learnt that no other inmate, including some of the notorious terror suspects lodged in the same prison, were guarded this way. “This is the first case we are seeing in which 24 hours security has been arranged for a single inmate. Even former chief minister B.S. Yeddyurappa, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa, and other prominent political leaders, actor Darshan, who were lodged here for some days, were not guarded this way. Even the accused in other high-profile cases and other terror suspects also did not see this kind of security for them,” the source said.
