VIPs sweat in Tihar summer

The hard life at the Tihar jail is taking a toll of some of its high-profile prisoners while some appear to have taken this brush with adversity in their stride.

While some are in prison for their alleged involvement in the 2G scam, others are cooling their heels behind bars for their alleged involvement in the Commonwealth Games scam.

DMK MP Kanimozhi, the daughter of DMK supremo Karunanidhi, continues to remain unhappy with the Indian style toilet that she has to use as also Unitech managining director Sanjay Chandra, according to jail sources.

Mr Chandra has also developed a backache and therefore has requested authorities to provide him with a soft mattress, said jail sources. Former telecom minister A. Raja, who also belongs to the DMK, appears to have found a novel way of beating Delhi’s heat and humidity.

He frequently saunters down to the air-conditioned office of the jail superintendent on some pretext or the other to escape Delhi’s sultry weather, said jail sources.

Both Raja and Kanimozhi practise Patanjali Yoga to help keep them in the right frame of mind and body, added jail sources.

Ms Kanimozhi also takes a walk within the prison premises.

Mr Raja is also busy taking Hindi lessons from former encounter specialist Udayveer Rathi who has been convicted in a fake encounter and murder case, said a senior jail official.