Munde, alongwith DGP Arvind Inamdar and IG Prisons T Shrungarwal, had conducted a surprise inspection of Nashik jail on December 4. The trio had discovered that eleven self-contained cells meant for isolated prisoners had been luxuriously modified with glazed floor tiles and expensive wall paint.

The attached toilets had also been renovated with expensive tiles.After the discovery, Munde called a press conference the same day and announced that Shrungarwal would conduct an inquiry into the renovations about which no jail official was aware of. He said the inquiry would be completed within a fortnight. He had opined that some jail officials, in connivance with some `influential' prisoners, had carried out the renovations. He had stated that the official-prisoner nexus would be probedinto to find out who funded the modifications.

Munde had also announced that the illegal renovations would be dismantled. However, a fortnight after Munde's oral announcement of pulling down the structures, the cells remain as they are. Munde is yet to issue `official' orders in black and white on dismantling the modifications.

Nashik jail superintendent Ram Jadhav told The Indian Express that he was waiting for an official order to demolish the renovations. He said he was not aware of the modified cells as they were revamped before he took over his post on July 21, 1997. He further claimed that he had first discovered the illegal modifications and brought the same to the notice of his higher-ups.

Referring to the probe being conducted into the cells' renovations, Jadhav said the IG (Prisons) might have completed his inquiry and even submitted a report. He, however, said he was not aware of the findings.

When asked about the names of those who had been imprisoned in the lavish cells, Jadhavdeclined to comment, stating that the matter was under investigation and the State Legislature was in session. He added that he had sealed all the eleven cells and that they were unoccupied.

BAR CLOSED: Meanwhile, the local unit of the Shiv Sena has decided to close down the `Shivam' liquor bar which belongs to one of its corporator Mama Thakre for a week. Some local rsidents led by a BJP corporator Arun More have been demanding the closure of the bar for the past five months accusing its partons of misbehaving with the residents of Saibaba Nagar, a CIDCO colony.

Sena city unit president Datta Gaikwad told reporters that after the attempt by some persons to burn down the bar on Wednesday night, the party had decided to form a fact-finding committee to find out whether the residents in the neighbourhood really wanted the bar to be closed down or it was just a politically motivated gesture. He said the committee would be headed by him and would include Sena corporators. The panel wold talk to residents ofCIDCO and submit its report in a week.

The owner of the bar, Mama Thakre, has attributed political motives to the campaign against the bar and the attempt to burn it down last Wednesday. He said his political opponents were whipping up public ire against him to sabotage his political career. Thakre, incidentally, is a close chum of Social Welfare Minister Babanrao Gholap, who had inaugurated another liquor bar of Thakre, `Hotel Shiva' in August 1995 at the cost of his prohibition portfolio.

Meanwhile, the local Congress corporators have backed the agitation spearheaded by BJP corporator Aruna More against the bar. A bandh scheduled today was postponed following the decision of the Sena to close down the bar for a week.

At a meeting held at the local Datta Mandir, the speakers condemned Thakre and the CIDCO administration for demanding closure of the bar.