Jail term spent in hospital!

HYDERABAD: If his previous 32-month stint is any indication, Ramalinga Raju is sure to have a comfortable ride even for the rest of his remaining jail term. And the proof of this lies in the special facilities that were extended to this 'VIP under trial' after his arrest on January 9, 2009. Raju was housed at the Central Prison in Chanchalguda.
But what's most intriguing is the fact that Raju, of his total term, spent a good 10 months - between December 15, 2009 and October 2010 - cooling his heels within the comfortable confines of the Nizam's Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS), Hyderabad.He was allotted nothing less than a VIP suite at this government hospital. Earlier in September that year, he made yet another 18-day trip to the same hospital after complaining of heart problems.
The rest of the hospital stay was attributed to Raju's Hepatitis C ailment, for which he was supposedly undergoing treatment at NIMS. Such was the severity of the situation - according to his aides - that Raju had no choice but to remain absent even from court hearings during that time. Of course, family and friends paid constant visit to the critically ill patient even as he enjoyed the special care and attention being offered to him by the hospital staff.
Back in the jail too, life wasn't very difficult, courtesy the special category status that was bestowed on Raju. In accordance with the tag, Raju was allowed to stay in a separate block with the other Satyam scam accused, had a separate room with a television set, a cot, a mattress, a table and a chair. Food served to him was as per his choice and he was even given access to a separate kitchen! If that's not all, Raju even enjoyed the liberty of indulging in a game of shuttle from time to time!
While observers feel that his life - at the Central Prison, Cherlapalli on the city outskirts - where he now has to spend the remaining four years and five months, isn't going to be any different, jail authorities say otherwise. They insist that Raju will have to get used to a tougher lifestyle there.
Reasons? As a convict, Ramalinga Raju will now on have to wear a jail uniform - a white shirt and white trouser - something that he was not used to as an undertrial. He will be forced to sleep on the floor and like other prisoners he will have to get up at 5 am and be satisfied with a modest meal of 'khichdi' and tea. Worse, he'll have to share a barrack with 25 others or more in one of the blocks of the huge jail. According to the rules, since Ramalinga Raju has been awarded rigorous imprisonment, he will have to do labour in the jail - something that was not mandatory for undertrials.
"Life can become comfortable for him only if he is granted special status by the court and the government," insisted a prison official.