Sahara chief Subrata Roy held in forest reserve instead of lock-up

Sahara officials, including its corporate communications team and two foreign security guards, were among the visitors, said reports, while the reserve was closed for general public.

The conduct of the Lucknow Police has become the subject of fresh controversy with arrested Sahara chief Subrata Roy being held in a reserve forest guest house instead of a police station lock-up.

Roy not only received about 40 visitors on Saturday including his sister, brother and Sahara top brass, but the Kukrail reserve forest and the nearby areas that are popular among weekend picknickers were also closed to public.

The Indian Express reported that forest guards outside the state guest house and the reserve forest were replaced by policemen manning the gates “along with Sahara employees”.

Sahara officials, including its corporate communications team and two foreign security guards, were among the visitors, said the report.

A report in DNA pointed out that the Kukrail reserve had turned into a veritable “mini Sahara city” on Saturday.

“Only the high-end cars of the Sahara Group carrying VIP visitors and top Sahara officials and lawyers were allowed to enter the Kukrail gates,” the DNA report said.

The preferential treatment to Roy was immediately protested by civil society and media.

According to a report in The Hindustan Times , the guesthouse was locked, but a police logbook indicated that at least 26 vehicles and 40 visitors had been allowed inside.

Forest officials said they did not know about the closure of the reserve forest picnic area to the general public. SSP Of Lucknow Praveen Kumar claimed the park was not closed to public but admitted that some precautionary measures had been taken for ROy’s safe custody, said reports.