VVIP inmates must be kept with 'great caution' in Tihar: Delhi ex-chief cop

Former Delhi police commissioner Neeraj Kumar, who also served as DG (prisons), said VVIP inmates have to be kept with "great caution" in Tihar since there is always a threat of them getting attacked or threatened.

Several high-profile people, including Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, his former cabinet ministers Satyendar Jain and Manish Sisodia, are lodged in Tihar jail.

In an interaction with PTI editors at the agency's headquarters here, Kumar said he had the privilege of "taking care of the maximum number of VVIPs" during his tenure at Tihar jail.

"I have the unique privilege of taking care of the maximum number of VVIPs. It was the time when Commonwealth Games scandal was there. Right from Suresh Kalmadi, Kanimozhi, A Raja (2G spectrum scam), people from Reliance, CWG, Amar Singh were there, Omar Gandhi, IAS officer, IPS officers," he said.

When asked whether they were well-behaved, he said, "No, they were a big nuisance."

Elaborating on the routine of a VVIP inmate, Kumar, who served at Tihar for nearly one-and-a-half years, said they have to follow the same routine as any other undertrial.

"When a VIP is housed, a lot of care is taken in lodging the person. Unfortunately or fortunately Mr Kejriwal is inside. He will not be kept in any barrack or any cell and will be kept in a place chosen very carefully keeping the security aspect in mind.

"Because a lot of things like bladebaazi could take place. If you do not take care, he can be attacked. People cannot only attack him, but even threaten him or extort money," he added.

Kumar said he has learnt through media reports that Kejriwal has been kept in the convicts' jail.

"He has been kept at a far safer and calmer place than (where) undertrials are kept. The trial has happened in case of convicts and they know have to spend the rest of their life there," he said.

Kumar, during his tenure, had been one of the most celebrated police officers. Talking about the pressures of serving in Delhi, he said the Delhi Police is blessed because there is no pressure from local politicians.

"To that extent, we are free (since the Delhi Police comes under the Centre). However, the pressure is incomparable to any other state. Because any problem that happens in any part of the country, people descend to Delhi -- for instance the farmers' agitation. You see an effect in Delhi," he opined.

From a law and order perspective, he said the New Delhi district is the toughest while the outer districts pose a lesser challenge.

"But there's the pressure of crime in the outer areas, specially street crimes," he added.