New Delhi: A small, centrally air-conditioned room measuring 15 feet by 10 feet, with iron grilles on one side, a mattress on the floor beside a stack of bottled water, an attached Western-style toilet and a CCTV camera fixed on the wall.
This is what a lock-up inside the CBI headquarters in Lodhi Colony looks like.
An accused lodged in the lock-up — whether a top industrialist or a politician — sleeps on the floor, is under CCTV surveillance at all times, and eats the food provided by the CBI canteen. There is no provision to provide the accused with a newspaper or a television, or to allow them to make a call home.
“There is no question of providing them with a newspaper or a TV inside the lock-up. There is just one mattress and food provided inside,” a source in the CBI said.
However, former Union finance and home minister P. Chidambaram, in CBI custody for his alleged involvement in the INX Media case, is not lodged in one of these lock-ups. Since his arrest Wednesday night, Chidambaram has been lodged in Suite Number 3 of the CBI guest house on the same premises, which has facilities like a television set, a sofa, a double bed and an attached bathroom.
The guest house also has three VIP rooms for visiting officers, which are sometime used to house high-profile accused.
“Sometimes, these rooms are used as a transit accommodation before shifting the person to the lock-up,” the source said.
Only 10-12 questions a day
According to a CBI officer, the agency is only able to ask around 10-12 questions per day as most of them require detailed answers.
For some questions, the accused is also confronted with some documents, which may take a long time to study.
“There are times when the discussion in one question goes on for over three to four hours. The accused takes time to go through the documents, and recollect information. Most times the answers are not coherent, so it takes time,” the officer explained.
The officer said investigating officers come in at around 9am, and the accused is brought in for questioning. Interrogation does not happen inside the lock-up.
“The accused sits across the table and is asked questions related to the case. Mostly, there is a questionnaire, but the investigating officer can ask questions besides that as well,” a second CBI officer said.
“The questioning goes on till around lunch time, and then the person in custody is given a break,” the second officer said. “The interrogation resumes after an hour and goes on till evening. If there is intense questioning, it may also go till late in the night. There are no fixed hours for interrogation.”
After the interrogation gets over, the accused goes back to the lock-up, this officer said.
At times, if the accused is not lodged in either the lock-up or the guest house, he is asked to sleep on the sofa in the investigating officer’s room.
Also read: In CBI custody, it’s Chidambaram who is questioning his investigators
Rapport with the investigator
The rapport of the accused with the investigating officer also matters, said a third CBI officer.
“The idea is to get as much information out from a person. It is not to make them uncomfortable or torture them,” this officer said.
“A lot also depends on the rapport of the investigator with the accused while the questioning is on. If the person is not evasive and is cooperating well, he may even ask for a cola or coffee, or make a special request like watching the news on the TV set inside the IO’s room, which will be entertained. There is no such possibility in judicial custody or police custody with the local police.”
The officer also said that depending upon court orders, the accused can also meet his family for some time and his lawyers for 15 minutes a day while in custody. Else, the lawyers cannot see the accused until court orders.
He also said that at times, lawyers get orders from the court to sit outside the room while the questioning is on, but are never allowed inside the room.
Food with prescribed calories
According to the second officer quoted above, the CBI has a set menu with prescribed calories that is served to the person in custody.
“It is a very basic meal which includes dal, sabzi, roti and rice, with a limited number of calories. That is to ensure that the meal is not very heavy for the person, who may feel sleepy after eating. Also, it should be light enough to digest, as there is no exercise. The number of calories is specified in our manual, and the food is prepared accordingly,” he said.
“Though no one in custody would ever ask for a dessert, if they do, it is provided on special request. We also consult doctors if a person is allergic to something, and if diabetic, we exercise extra caution,” he said. “It is the CBI which pays for these meals from its own resources.”
Also read: Chidambaram spends first night in CBI custody, his 2 concerns — clean lockup & hygienic food
I was watching the kingpim Chidambaram on tv today, look at this filty man,his body language, he behaves as if he is a revolutionary and has done something of pride. His remarks of 5%…is this he indicates that he got only 5 percent,the big fish is still out.
He should be stationed in Tihar jail for his crime
What happens if the accused still doesn’t cooperate with CBI? Can third degree be applied?
This not fair, his place is tihar jail.
Powerful or non powerful, all questioning to any one can be done without jailing or taking into custody. Custody or jail only if he is proven guilty or if the court has enough proof that the person is criminal and can be cause for death like that of Loya
In INDIA…Justice system bends if you are a powerful politician, Bollywood movie star or rich businessman or a spiritual leader. The Mughal Invaders looted India. The Colonial British looted India. Now politicians, tax evaders, loan defaulters and corrupt CEO’s loot India. Show me a Country that allows criminals up to 2 criminal convictions including rape, murders, illiterates are allowed to contest elections, hold public office as in INDIA. There are many Fugitive CEO’s from India with their loot living in foreign Countries.
So you are happy that he is provided with TV or unhappy that he should have been provided. You will come up with as usual your own comments.
A culprit or an accused has to be treated like a culprit or as an accused. He should not be provided TV newspaper etc as all Indians feel. Congress has not treated culprits in a different way since all in Congress are culprits
You have all right and freedom to support the government of the day led by PM Mr Narendra Modi. But it is wrong to paint entire Congress and its leaders as criminals. If it is so some 12 crore voters have cast their votes to Congress. Are they all criminals. There are corrupt against whom cased are there, they have joined the ruling party. Until they also are treated the same way like PC, it would continue to used for political purposes. At least four or even more have fled at least two of them were in close quarters with Modi, how come they were allowed to flee. If found guilty, PC has to face punishment. Case is yet to be proved,so let us wait and you still praise the ruling party. We should neither blindly support or oppose the ruling or opposition parties.
Brother,
Apart from all The CBI have revealed that the facility to a suspect is also honoured as per the directions of Hon’ble human rigbts commission.
Hope the same might have properly developed during BJP REGIME.
“THIS IS INEQUALITY AMONGS OTHER FORWHOM THE SUSPECT BE KEPT IN LOCK-UP OF ORDINARY POLICE STATIONS”.