Misbehaving MLA to be moved to Thane prison

Mumbai: A special court on Thursday allowed Byculla prison authorities to transfer Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) Ramesh Kadam from the jail for allegedly misbehaving with jail staff and creating his own gang in jail that included petty criminals lodged with him.

The court directed the special inspector general (IG) prison south division to take appropriate steps to shift Kadam to Thane Central Prison.

While this application was still pending the Bombay high court last month while hearing a public interest litigation on poor living condition in jails for women prisoners had asked the state how Kadam had been allowed to carry on his activities within jail and why no action was being taken against him for causing problem among jail inmates. The division bench headed by Justice Abhay Oka had asked the sessions court to hear the application filed by Byculla jail authorities out of turn and decide it at the earliest. The HC had also taken into consideration a report of a magistrate who had said that when she visited the Byculla jail to examine the living condition of jail inmates, Kadam had misbehaved with her too.

During the hearing of the application lodged by Byculla jail staff Kadam had alleged he has made several complaints against illegal activities carried out by jail authorities inside the jail and hence they have made false allegations against him and he is being transferred from this jail.

However, judge G.A. Sanap on Thursday observed that when this matter was being heard by another court the judge of that court had directed the IG (Prisons) to carry out an inquiry into the allegations made by Kadam and file a confidential report. The IG had complied with the court order and after perusing the said report judge Sanap on Thursday allowed Kadam’s transfer from Byculla jail.

Kadam, arrested on charges of corruption, was initially kept at the Arthur Road jail but the authorities there too complained of his misbehaviour and hence, with the consent of Byculla jail authorities, he was transferred there. There was now an option of sending Kadam to Taloja or Thane jail but he said there is a threat to him at Taloja jail because one of his enemies is lodged there. Following this, the judge issued a direction to transfer Kadam to Thane jail.

Troubled history

• MLA Ramesh Kadam was arrested on August 17, 2015 for alleged misappropriation of funds and financial irregularities to the tune of `300 crore.
• He has also claimed that he is a witness to the incident in which Byculla jail inmate Manjula Shetye died after allegedly being beaten by jail staff.