Falsely accused of receiving massage in Tihar, it was physiotherapy: AAP’s Satyendar Jain - The Financial Express

[India News Desk]

AAP leader Satyendar Jain, recently released from Tihar jail after 18 months, addressed the controversy surrounding allegations of receiving a “massage” while in custody. On Saturday, Jain clarified that the footage, which surfaced in November 2022, showed him undergoing physiotherapy due to severe leg pain, not a massage. At the time, Jain was serving as the Delhi prisons department minister.

In a statement from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Jain called the claims “exaggerated.” He explained that doctors had recommended strict bed rest and better facilities due to his inability to move, bend, or lift objects. “During that time, I had severe leg pain. They arranged everything accordingly. Does anyone ever get a massage fully clothed? The physiotherapist was just doing his job,” Jain stated.

Jain, who was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in March 2022 on money laundering charges, questioned the selective release of footage. “Tihar jail has cameras everywhere. Why was only my footage released? They falsely accused me of having lavish meals, but I survived on seasonal fruits and vegetables, and lost 40 kg during my time there,” he said. He added that he purchased bottled water from the canteen, like any other inmate.

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Jain also claimed he was kept in isolation despite doctors’ recommendations and spent months in a barrack typically reserved for notorious criminals. “If not for the judiciary, the BJP would have hanged me,” Jain alleged, accusing the ruling party of politicising his situation by releasing the video footage during the Gujarat elections.

Delhi BJP spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor dismissed Jain’s claims as “ridiculous,” saying AAP leaders often fabricate stories after their release from jail. He questioned why Jain hadn’t raised concerns with the court earlier if his conditions in Tihar were truly problematic.

On his first day of freedom, Jain visited a Jain temple with his family and attended an AAP party meeting, joined by Arvind Kejriwal and other senior leaders.

With inputs from PTI