Delhi: OSD to Health Minister under scanner for corruption

Delhi: The Directorate of Vigilance (DoV) on Wednesday wrote a letter of complaint to the Director General (Prisons) of Tihar Jail about Om Prakash Mishra, former Superintendent of Tihar Prison, for providing VIP treatment to prisoners in return for personal gains. 

Mishra has been asked to provide his response to the allegations within seven days. 

OP Mishra, the Delhi, Andaman & Nicobar, Lakshadweep, Daman and Diu and Dadra and Nagar Haveli (Civil) Services (DANICS) officer is currently serving as the OSD to Health Minister Saurabh Bhardwaj. 

According to the letter written by the DoV, which was accessed by Patriot, the vigilance department has received a complaint alleging purchase of a luxury flat by Mishra, the then superintendent of Tihar Prisons through corrupt means, that is, by providing VIP treatment to the prisoners.  

The letter alleged that during his tenure, a few employees of a Company called M/s HLF Enterprises Pvt. Ltd (L-4, Green Park, New Delhi) were lodged as under trial prisoners in Tihar Jail.

“It is also alleged that Mishra facilitated the bail applications of above-mentioned employees of HLF Enterprises Pvt. Ltd and helped them with all VIP facilities while in prison. For which, as a quid pro quo, the employees of the said company facilitated him in purchasing two flats of the company at Ambience Valley (Luxury flats) (address H-104) situated at Gurugram at substandard/nominal price in the name of Mishra and his father Laxman Mishra,” the letter read. 

The letter also mentioned that Mishra gave false directions to the DIG of Central Jail stating that he had no official dealings with the company. 

“Further, it is alleged that Mishra gave a false declaration on January 23, 2002 to the then DIG, Central Jail stating that he has no official dealing with this company either in present or the past. By doing so, he concealed material information from the Government to fulfil his ill and corrupt motives,” the letter read. 

Additionally, the letter mentioned that one of the undertrials, Ramesh Shah, had his place of employment changed to a different company during his tenure inside the prison. 

“A discrete enquiry revealed that Ramesh Shah, who was accused in FIR No. 187/2002, P.S. Hauz Khas (EOW) was allegedly in judicial custody in Tihar Prisons. Whereas, the offence is related to the past company of Shah but at the time of his custody, he was allegedly an employee of M/s HLF Enterprises Pvt. Ltd. which was later changed to M/s Ambience Developers & Infrastructure Pvt. Ltd,” the letter read further. 

The DoV has also asked the Tihar Jail authorities to provide information regarding the custody details of the prisoners as well as the details of tenure of Mishra with the prison.