Chidambaram sent to Tihar jail economic offenders’ wing

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 said “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.Chidambaram will not find it easy to adjust to the stifling barracks which will be a far cry from his days in North Block.In view of his advanced age, Chidambaram will be provided services of a physician to check his blood pressure at night. He may also be given personal use of the barrack that normally houses 10 inmates.Apart from his clothes, he will not be allowed to carry anything from his home. Chidambaram will also have to eat the jail’s food in plastic utensils or he can get food from the jail canteen.He will also be required to attend early morning prayers like all other inmates.A jail official, asked how new inmates are woken up in the morning, simply said: “Do you think a high-profile inmate like Chidambaram will be able to get any sleep in the jail cell on his first night?”