Hyderabad, Nov 9 (DHNS): The CBI Special Court in Nampally here, responding to a plea by former Karnataka minister and mining baron Gali Janardhana Reddy and his brother-in-law B V Srinivas Reddy, who are in its custody, directed the Chanchalguda Central Prison staff to provide ''Special Class A'' treatment to the duo.

Accordingly, Janardhana and his brother-in-law Srinivas who lived in luxury before they entered the jail, will now be allowed to have a separate room for themselves, a fan, a table, a table light and a shelf to keep books, newspapers, a stove and a gas cylinder to cook food. If they do not wish to cook, they may order food from outside. Use of a laptop will be an added privilege.

Chanchalguda prison Superintendent Keshav Naidu said the facilities would be provided to Janardhan Reddy in accordance with the court’s order, probably from Wednesday.

Until now, only three undertrial prisoners in the jail, Satyam Computer former ahairman B Ramalinga Raju, his brother Rama Raju and former CFO Vadlamani Srinivas, enjoyed this special status. The CBI argued that special treatment should be accorded to those paying taxes regularly but not to tainted mining baron Reddy, who has violated several laws.

Reddy’s counsels on Tuesday applied for bail for the third time. The court will hear both sides on November 11. The court posted the plea of the IT department to receive assets the CBI has confiscated from his home, to November 10.