Special Correspondent
Pune: Former MP and leader of the Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana, Raju Shetty, has accused Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) and head of Maharashtra’s prisons, Amitabh Gupta, of being involved in a scam exceeding ₹500 crore in the procurement of ration, canteen supplies, and electrical equipment for state prisons between 2023 and 2025-26.
Addressing a press conference at Patrakar Bhavan in Pune, Shetty alleged that several senior officials were complicit in the large-scale corruption. He revealed that the state government spends hundreds of crores annually on the upkeep of prisoners, including the procurement of essential food items such as wheat, rice, sugar, pulses, milk, fruits, vegetables, poultry, eggs, and bakery products. The centralized tender process used for purchasing these supplies has reportedly led to inflated prices, with rates in prison procurement being significantly higher than those in government-run canteens and markets.
Similar irregularities were found in the procurement of electrical appliances, including generators, washing machines, drone cameras, printers, and air coolers. Shetty pointed out that officials and contractors have allegedly colluded to siphon off crores of rupees through fraudulent pricing and substandard supplies.
Furthermore, complaints by prison superintendents and inmates regarding the supply of expired, poor-quality, and even fungus-infected food have gone unaddressed, despite being submitted in writing multiple times. Investigations revealed that ration items such as wheat, rice, sugar, salt, and jaggery were purchased at inflated prices, with overcharges ranging from ₹11 to ₹30 per kg. Pulses, tea powder, and other essentials were reportedly procured at rates ₹110 to ₹250 per kg higher than market prices.
The scam also extended to Diwali purchases for inmates, where premium brands were billed, but prisoners were supplied with substandard local products. Food safety authorities have raided multiple prison canteens and found subpar and adulterated supplies, yet no corrective action was taken.
Shetty, recalling his time as an inmate at Yerwada Central Jail, shared first-hand experiences of poor-quality food served in prisons. He described watery tea, half-cooked rotis, undercooked rice, tasteless vegetables, and fungus-infected bakery products being provided to prisoners. When he confronted prison officials about the low-quality meals, they allegedly responded that feeding inmates well would lead to overcrowding, implying that poor food was a form of punishment.
Despite Shetty’s previous written complaints to the prison administration, no action has been taken against those responsible. He has now demanded an inquiry into the role of then-ADGP Amitabh Gupta and Inspector General of Police Jalindar Supekar in the alleged scam.
