Jain Opted To Choose Own Diet: Tihar Officials To Court

Ruling On Minister’s Complaint Likely To Be Pronounced Today

- Vineet Upadhyay

New Delhi: Refuting the contention of incarcerated minister Satyendar Jain that he was not being given “basic food items as per his religious beliefs”, the Tihar Jail administration told a Delhi court on Thursday that Jain had “opted to choose his own diet as per his liking instead having the regular jail meal”.

The court of special judge Vikas Dhull reserved its order on Jain's complaint that for the past 12 days, the prison administration had stopped providing him with the basic food items as per his religious beliefs, including fruit, while also delaying his medical check-up, including MRI scans, due since October 21. The court is now likely to pronounce the order on Friday.

Opposing the contention of Jain, Tihar’s counsel, advocate Abhijit Shankar, told the court that the jail did not ‘provide food’ but that the prisoners had to buy their meal at the jail canteen using their smart cards. Shankar claimed in the court that Jain had stopped buying food and restricting himself to two meals a day.