The reason: Majority of such people are currently facing court cases and want to avoid conviction.

“Many persons come to jail seeking to partake meals being

served to the inmates. They are advised to do so by pandits, who believe that those in jail landed there due to the bad effects of Shani and people facing similar risk could avoid arrest if they eat meals cooked for inmates,” Additional Superintendent of Amritsar Central Jail, R P Sharma, said.

“Apart from those visiting the jail, many admitted in hospitals — where inmates also undergo treatment — insist on having the food that is sent for the prisoners from jail twice a day,” Sharma added.

As incharge of Patti Sub Jail, Sharma has seen 15 bank officials — facing trial in a case — walking into the jail and demanding the food meant for inmates. “I told them that if they really wanted to have the desired results, they should eat the food by sitting in the barrack, as suggested by pandits.

They did so and incidentally, they all were acquitted of the court case,” Sharma claimed. An official of Patiala Central Jail, on condition of anonymity, said when people come asking for jail food, jail authorities oblige to help them “overcome their troubles”. “Such people mostly come on Thursdays and Saturdays,” the official added.

“We give them the food, as it makes little difference if an outsider eats a roti or two out of the thousands rolled out for inmates,” said Bathinda Central Jail Superintendent Raj Mohinder Singh Dhaliwal. Parmod Kumar, an amateur astrologer, said horoscopes of many people indicate that they may be jailed, therefore they are advised to eat jail food.

“But eating jail food alone is not a solution. One has to partake it inside the jail. Though people should not do anything that may result in them landing in jail, but sometimes, due to some combinations in the horoscope, false allegations can be levelled and hence, a solution is needed,” he said, adding that he too had advised some individuals to eat prison food inside the jail.