Pillai punished for cell talk

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The state government on Thursday issued a notification to Kerala Congress (B) leader R Balakrishna Pillai extending his jail term by four more days for using a mobile phone while serving his sentence, in clear violation of prison rules. The decision was taken based on a report submitted by jail ADGP Alexander Jacob.Pillai was sentenced to one-year jail term in connection with the Edamalayar dam corruption case in February. He was given some days’ relaxation in his term, but now four days would be cut short from it.Pillai will be free on January 6, instead of January 2.The report was handed over to the ADGP on Wednesday by K A Kumaran, jail welfare officer, after conducting a probe into Pillai’s mobile conversation.Police questioned and recorded Pillai’s statement from a private hospital here, where he is undergoing treatment.Pillai reportedly told the investigating officer that he had used phone only once to talk to a reporter from the hospital.Chief Minister Oommen Chandy ordered a probe into the issue after the Opposition staged a walkout from the Assembly over it.It had also alleged that Chandy had talked to Pillai and demanded a judicial probe.