Zee News exposé: Operation Money
New Delhi, Feb 04: In an exclusive exposé, Zee News has unravelled the reality of prisons and prisoners in Uttar Pradesh. For the first time in the Indian television history, Zee News has successfully captured the unimaginable state of affairs of the U.P jails on the record.

A prison, as per the dictionary meaning, is a place or condition of confinement or forceful restrains, but not in the Uttar Pradesh. Here, if you are a politician lodged in a jail, especially a close associate of the ruling party, you are not in a forceful imprisonment but in a fiefdom of your own.

In what seems to be a scene from a Hindi film, U.P.MLA Amarmani Tripathi, officially lodged in the jail, is running his business and serving his constituency freely from it.

When Zee News correspondent entered the jail premises, he was aghast to see the situation there. Amarmani was not confined to a prison cell along with other fellow prisoners. Instead, the entire barrack, officially designated to host 24 prisoners, was converted as his courtroom. In the barrack, Amarmani held his 'darbar' in which all his supporters came with their list of works and complaints.

When our correspondent sought a favour from Amarmani, he took out his mobile from his pocket- the access of mobile phone to prisoners is officially prohibited- and dialled the concerned official immediately from there in. Not only Amarmani, but also his fellow accomplishes in 'Madhumita' murder case had access to everything: mobile sets, liquors and other drugs too. They were also carrying their business as usual
from there. As a result of Zee News exposé, the Central government has sought explanation from the U.P government in the matter.