'Inmates treated uniformly': Tihar jail on Jain's 'proper food' video

New Delhi, Nov 24: On Delhi minister Satyendar Jain's plea for food in Tihar jail, the prison authorities in Delhi court said Thursday the jail administration provides a "balanced" diet "uniformly" to all the prisoners.

"The Tihar Jail administration supplies balanced and nutritious diet uniformly to all the prisoners lodged in Delhi Prisons irrespective of any discrimination on the basis of cast, creed, sex, etc," the Tihar administration said before Delhi's Rouse Avenue Court.

"It's wrong to expect from prison administration to give special treatment to an inmate(s) as the prison dept provide a nutritional and balanced diet to all inmates without any discrimination," they added, as per news agency ANI.

Tihar is in the eye of a storm for alleged VIP treatment to influential prisoners after videos emerged in the public domain on November 19 showing Jain, who has been arrested on money laundering charges, getting massages from some inmates, one of whom was later identified as a POCSO accused.

Jain's meal time in jail

A recent CCTV footage released on November 23 has gone viral on social media, the Delhi Minister Satyander Jain can be seen being provided with proper food in the jail.

Jain is reportedly being served 'sumptuous meal' and has reportedly gained eight kgs since being in the jail.

On Monday, Jain moved court stating that for the past 12 days, the Tihar Jail administration has stopped providing him basic food items as per his religious beliefs. He also mentioned in the plea that he is not getting proper food, medical check-up, and have lost 28 kg weight.

What Tihar jail manual says on prisoners' food, health?

Tihar jail is governed by the Tihar Jail Manual published in 2018. It is available on the website of Department of Prisons, Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi.

The 517-page Tihar Jail Manual details every aspect of prison management, from the admission and lodging of prisoners to dietary and health aspects.

The manual lists the nutritional requirement of prisoners and lists the food items to be given to them. However, it also says that diet of prisoners can be changed as per their health condition or medical requirements.

It further says when a prisoner is sick, the diet will be regulated by the medical officials of the jail.Jain was arrested in a money laundering case based on a CBI FIR lodged against him in 2017 under the Prevention of Corruption Act. The court had on November 17 denied bail to Jain and two others in the case. He is accused of having laundered money through four companies allegedly linked to him.

with PTI inputs