Bread, poha, tea and no special facilities: How Chidambaram is spending time in jail

New Delhi, Sep 06: Chidambaram spent the night in Tihar jail after a CBI court remanded him in judicial custody for two weeks.

He has been lodged at the jail number 7 at Tihar and this is the cell that is normally used for those persons, whose cases are probed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

On Friday morning at around 6 am, he was served breakfast, which included porridge, bread and poha. He was also served tea.

He had demanded a western toilet facility and was granted the same as per the rules of the prison manual.

During his first night in jail, a close watch was kept on him and jail authorities said that he was restless. While he would get no special facility, he will be able to walk outside his prison cell, like other prisoners.

He was allowed to carry with him his medicines. He had a light dinner that included chapatis. Jail authorities say that he will be allowed to watch television for a specified time. He would also be given newspapers apart from having access to the jail library.

Chidambaram, who was brought to Tihar Jail on September 5 evening, will get no special facilities, except a separate cell and a Western toilet as specified by the court, jail officials said.

After the mandatory medical check-up, he was lodged in Jail No. 7, which houses those accused in ED cases. His son Karti was kept in the same cell for 12 days in the same case last year.

A jail official said the food is served between 7 pm and 8 pm, but it is kept aside for those who arrive late owing to court procedures. The usual dinner menu is roti, dal, sabzi and rice.

Chidambaram will be lodged in the cell from 9 pm to 6 am. Breakfast will be served between 7 am and 8 am. He can drink water from a reverse osmosis plant or buy packaged water from the canteen.

Chidambaram, who was also the Home Minister during UPA 2, was sent to 14-day judicial custody on September 5 in the INX Media corruption case.

The veteran Congress leader was taken to Asia's largest prison from the Rouse Avenue Court amid high security. It took nearly 35 minutes for the jail authorities to bring Chidambaram to the prison from the court.