Ramalinga Raju's life in jail: Mosquitoes, kichdi and early night

Life in jail after a gap of two years for former Satyam owner Ramalinga Raju has once again been traumatic. It also brought sour memories of his under-trial days at Chanchalaguda jail.

Qaidi No 4148 ( Ramalinga Raju) and Qaidi No 4147 ( Rama Raju) once again crossed path with old friends and associates including bank robbers and con artists besides some petty thieves at the prison where they are lodged.

Dogged by an unfriendly media which exposed their black deeds after the court verdict, both Ramalinga Raju and his brother Rama Raju pleaded with the Cherlapalli jail authorities for a barrack which had no Television.

“Shift us to the barracks where there is no television set,“ they requested the central prison Cherlapally authorities. The duo are not keen on watching TV news and discussions surrounding their arrest. Thus the authorities moved them to a barrack where the TVs have gone for repair.
The other 8 accused in the Satyam crime have been put at the Godavari block after a night stay at the Manasa Sarovar block which is the transfit area for new entries.
Since the court rejected the request of Ramalinga Raju brothers for special status and facilities like kitchen, assistant and separate beds in a room they have to now share barrack space with 17 other prisoners. "They are housed with murderers and those involved in dowry related crimes," a local jailor told an English daily.

Ramalinga Raju and his associates spent most of the time reading CBI related documents during Friday and Saturday as they had to get ready for filing affidavits for bail on Monday.Their advocates met them on Saturday with drafts which they kept for study. They also met other convicts in the Satyam case during the day.

When they were brought to Cherlapally jail on Thursday evening, they were kept in transit area for the night. Later they were all subjected to medical check up. Both Ramalinga Raju and Rama Raju avoided the medical check ups claiming to be in the pink of health, it is learnt. The other eight, however, got their Blood Pressure checked by the prison doctor as part of a general health check-up. We all know that Ramalinga Raju was treated for cardiac issues and Hepatitis C at the Nizam's Institute of Medical Sciences at Punjagutta when he was an under-trial.

On his first day at Jail Ramalinga Raju got mosquitoes for company. He was also given prison attire of white shirt and trousers.

Ramalinga Raju and his brother did not avail the Mulaqat facility (meeting with family) on Friday while the rest of eight Satyam convicts received visitors. Like ordinary prisoners, the Raju brothers were served kichdi for breakfast, chapati rice, dal, rasam and papad for lunch and a similar dinner with a different vegetarian curry for the early dinner at 4 pm.

With the lights off at 7 PM in the jails Rajus had a tough time spending their first night at jail.