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Illyasi is most wanted for criminals too

Swapna Khanna in New Delhi

Sohaib Illyasi spent his first 24 hours in Tihar jail with jailed police personnel for company. Paradoxically, housed in the same jail were some criminals that he had helped the police nab through his popular television show, and who are now considered a threat to his life.

Till a few months back, the producer-director-anchor of the television serial India's Most Wanted, would appeal to the viewers to help him and the police catch India's most notorious criminals.

Viewers far and wide responded enthusiastically, and as many as 18 criminals were nabbed. Some of them are in Tihar Jail, where Illyasi too has been remanded after the police arrested him in connection with his wife's suspected murder.

Tihar central jail, considered the country's most secure and safe jail, thus seems unsafe for the man who made his mark by helping apprehend these dreaded criminals.

In fact, so high is the concern for Illyasi's safety that the jail authorities decided to lodge him in Cell No 5 of Ward No 1 in Jail No 1, which houses inmates who face a threat to their lives even within the confines of the jail.

His companions are former policemen: Delhi police personnel arrested in connection with the Connaught Place shoot-out.

However, director general of police (prisons), Ajay Agarwal, was confident that no harm would befall Illyasi, and said adequate care would be taken over the producer's safety.

He further added, "Persons whose life is threatened within the jail are lodged in safe areas -- either in special cells or special wards. When it comes to jail staff, police personnel or those of law enforcement agencies, we keep them in a separate cell."

Similar logic applies to Illyasi as well, he said.

But the producer has not responded well to such 'special' treatment. Aggarwal said, "Sohaib is as disturbed as any other prisoner, he has not been sleeping and eating well."

"No special facilities have been provided in his room, everything was always there and it is what other criminals also have."

For now Illyasi may be safe within the confines of his cell. But the possibility of an attack on him, while being taken to court by bus, worries Agarwal. "We will make a request to take him to court by a special bus."

Illyasi was arrested in connection with the death of his wife Anju and remanded to 14 days judicial custody by a Delhi court, on charges of causing dowry death, mental harassment and destruction of evidence in connection with the death of his wife Anju, who died under suspicious circumstances.

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