A Prisoner’s Guide to Living in Luxury

Since his arrest last year, Shiv Sena MLA Suresh Jain has spent most of his time in hospitals

MUMBAI ~ If you were a little upset about Sanjay Dutt repeatedly being allowed to go home despite being a prisoner, then consider the case of Suresh Jain, former Maharashtra minister for Housing and Shiv Sena MLA. Convicted of a multi-crore housing scam, Jain is the undoubted master of the art of staying out of jail.

It was in March 2012 that he was arrested in Jalgaon, his home constituency. A week after his arrest, he complained of chest pain and was admitted to the tony Breach Candy Hospital in South Mumbai. Later, he was shifted to Jaslok Hospital. He was there until November when he was transferred to the Arthur Road prison. Within 10 minutes of being shifted there, he complained of chest pain. That led to his stay at the state-run Sir J J Group of Hospitals and later St George Hospital. His VIP room at these hospitals usually had a separate bathroom, and was fitted with an LCD television and a music system. Unlike other prisoners, Jain was also allowed as many visitors as he liked.

The reason he enjoys such five-star treatment is that he is an extremely powerful and smart politician, adept at switching parties. He has been with the Congress, NCP and Shiv Sena. Even now, despite being a prisoner, his clout in Jalgaon remains intact.

Jain’s luck ran out after a sting operation by a private TV channel showed him to be quite well in hospital and he was transferred back to prison. Immediately, however, another ‘ailment’ took Jain back to another private hospital.

But by then, Maharashtra’s Additional Director General of Police (Jails) Meeran Borwankar had started objecting to Jain’s extended stay at various hospitals. Stating that Jain was using poor health as an excuse to stay out of prison, she ordered him back behind bars. “The prison has good doctors who take care of its inmates,” said Borwankar.

Maharashtra Home Minister RR Patil says he will “have to inquire” into the issue. At Jalgaon prison, Jain is still said to be rather cosy, and happily meeting a steady stream of visitors .

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