New Delhi, February 14
The Supreme Court today ordered the shifting of controversial RJD MP Rajesh Ranjan, alias Pappu Yadav, a key accused in a murder case, to Capital's high security Tihar jail from Patna's Beur prison, for frequent violation of jail norms there by him.
Finding him guilty of indulging in various “illegal” acts inside Beur jail, including using cell phone to talk to various high officials and VIPs, threatening IG prison and other officials, holding “durbar” of his supporters in the prison and throwing a lavish party to inmates, a Bench of Mr Justice N. Santosh Hegde and Mr Justice S.B. Sinha directed that he be shifted to Tihar within a week.
The court warned the officials concerned both at Beur and Tihar jail that while transferring him “no special privileges” be given to him and the jail norms be followed scrupulously.
The court rejected the arguments of senior advocate R K Jain, appearing for Yadav, that transferring him out of jail would result in negating the right of fair trial to him, who was facing six criminal cases in various courts in Bihar, saying that “facility of video
conferencing” would be available to him from marking his presence from jail itself.
If he felt that his personal presence was necessary in the trial court, he could move an application through his lawyer and the CBI could take him to the particular trial court when so required.
The court made it clear that the trial in the CMP MLA Ajit Sarkar murder case, in which he is presently lodged in judicial custody and and other cases against him would continue.
Expressing grave concern over the flagrant violation of jail norms by the RJD MP, specially his holding a “durbar” of his supporters illegally inside the prison on November 1 last year, the Bench said in Tihar Jail the visiting right would be limited to his family members.
