Mumbai: Pune-based stud farm owner Hasan Ali
Khan, arrested on charges of stashing away billions of dollars
in foreign banks and tax evasion, has been lodged in the high
security "anda cell", making him the second most secured
inmate in the Arthur Road jail after Pakistani terrorist
Mohammed Ajmal Amir Kasab.
Khan has been lodged in the "anda cell" as he claimed to
have been facing death threats and also receiving threats from
Kolkata businessman Kashinath Tapuria, a co-accused arrested
in the money laundering case, jail sources said today.
On confining Khan in the special cell, Inspector General
(Prisons) Surinder Kumar said, "Assessing the seriousness of
the threat Khan is facing, he was put in this special cell.
Khan is not being allowed to mingle with other inmates and as
per the court orders, he is getting home-made food."
Khan was arrested by Enforcement Directorate (ED) on
March 17 after the Supreme Court cancelled the bail granted to
him by a trial court. For seven days, Khan was in ED`s custody
and then shifted to Arthur Road jail.
In March last week, Khan alleged he was getting threats
from Tapuria.
"Khan is facing serious criminal charges and we do not
want to take any risk when it comes to his security," Surinder
added.
On March 29, the Supreme Court had directed the Central
and the Maharashtra governments to provide adequate protection
to Khan and his family.
Many hardcore criminals and underworld members are also
lodged in the Arthur Road jail and due to security reasons,
Khan was not being allowed to mingle with anybody, another
official said on condition of anonymity.
"After Kasab`s security, Khan`s protection is our
priority," the official added.
In July last year, Abu Salem, extradited from Portugal
five years ago to face trial, was injured in an alleged attack
by Mustafa Dossa, a close aide of fugitive underworld don
Dawood Ibrahim, in the jail.
After the assault, Salem was shifted to the Taloja Jail
in Navi Mumbai, while Dossa was moved to the Thane Central
Prison.
In September last year, Salem`s aide Mohammed Mehndi
Hassan, an undertrial in the 1995 murder of builder Pradeep
Jain, suffered injuries after allegedly being attacked by a
sharp-edged weapon in the jail.
PTI
