You are a highly educated man, worked for many large brands and you have just joined your current company. You go to a branch office for a 2 day visit and you are arrested and sent to jail! How do you feel about that?
This is a true story of Chetan Mahajan who was sent to jail on account of cheating and fraud done by his company (where he was just an employee). Since at that point in time he was the only senior executive available, police on public pressure caught him and sent to jail, after 1 day of custody in the police station in Bokaro, Jharkhand.
The book has as many chapters as many days he spend in Bokaro Jail – 30.
In each of these chapters he talks about the jail’s infrastructure, how he spend the time, what all did he do (and not do), what is the daily schedule of the jail, at length he talks about all the inmates he interacted with, their stories, their aspirations, their belief in the judiciary system, about the jail staff, about the jail food and most importantly the economics of the jail.
Chetan Mahajan was not supposed to be in the jail at the first place, he was taken in as the company he worked for Everonn, a coaching institute, was a well known name in the area for top notch records. Recently many teachers resigned and joined a competitive institute and the parents of many of these students demanded money back. Chetan join in October 2012 and this happened in December 2012. On 23rd Dec, police came and arrested Chetan and sent him to join on account of more than 20 parents who signed an affidavit stating Everonn cheated them with money. He was an employee and he has no authority to take money or give money back on his personal capacity. But no reasonable logic worked at that point in time.
Why the book found my interest is because I was intrigued by the unknown facts of what really happens inside an Indian jail! Not that I have any intent of getting inside, but that curiosity pushed me to buy this book. And boy, was I glad how well he has written this short 200 pager. Crisp and clear, day wise description.
Internal politics and favouritism is inbuilt in the jail. From which ward you can stay and should stay, what food you get to eat, what kind of tea you drink, which bathroom you can use, what extra favours you can get, mobile phone, access to cash, outside food, cigarettes and what not. You got to have money pumped in from the outside to get all kinds of favour you want. If you get it thru the visitors, police keeps 20%, if you get thru other sources, which the inmates suggest, you will be able to get more plus you get in the good books of inmates (which is a good thing).
How the new comers are cornered to shell out huge sum of money as soon as they enter to get to decide on the best cell to live in, is enlightening. Yes, there are different cells and wards and the don or the boss there will intimidate new comers and get him to confirm Rs.5000/Rs.10000 one time payment to letting him stay in a better ward than the rest. Only to find out that there are better kept wards and he was cheated. Welcome to the jail economics.
The company which employed Chetan, Everonn was slow, slag and what I understand from the book, worst company to work for. His dad, wife, bother in law all were actively pursuing work towards his release but the company was showing all its true colours. Read it to know more.
It is a page turner, short read and very thrilling. I highly recommend it as weekend read. You can buy it here – Amazon.