Chidambaram sent to Tihar’s jail no 7

Former Finance Minister P. Chidambaram has been lodged in jail number-7 which is for economic offenders in the capital’s Tihar Jail.

Chidambaram’s son Karti Chidambaram was also lodged in the same jail earlier.

The court has allowed the former Union minister to take his medicines along with him. Since Chidambaram enjoys Z-category security, the court also allowed him to be kept in a separate cell with adequate arrangements for his security.

The court here sent Chidambaram to 14 days’ judicial custody in the INX Media case.

The senior Congress leader, who was arrested by the CBI in the case last month and had undergone interrogation, will be lodged in Tihar Jail till September 19.

With a high-profile undertrial like Chidambaram set to be lodged in the prison, one would expect special arrangements to be made.

On being asked about any specific preparations, Director General of Prisons, Sandeep Goyal told IANS that “A jail is a jail. We only follow the court’s orders. No one lodged in a jail is special.”

He said Chidambaram would be treated like a normal prisoner.

Chidambaram is facing trial for financial crimes and is also aged above 60 but Goyal only said “We will do what the jail manual says,” as he brushed aside any security concerns.

Jail number-7 houses 600-700 inmates, the majority of whom are jailed for crimes against women though the block has traditionally been used to house economic offenders.