(This story originally appeared in on Feb 17, 2017)

BENGALURU: V K Sasikala was eyeing the chief minister’s throne in Tamil Nadu, but the apex court conviction made her land in Bengaluru where she is lodged at the Parappana Agrahara central prison . On Wednesday, when she arrived at the jail, she seemed to be in no mood to reconcile with the frugal life she was to have for the next four years. Having been on the lap of luxury for the last few years, she did not want to get into the police jeep like a pretty criminal and instead chose to walk herself to the prison premises A source told Mirror she made it clear to officials that she was ready to walk “how much ever the distance it could be”.“I am not a petty thief. I will not sit in police jeep. I will sit in the jail cell, but I will not sit like a criminal in an open police jeep. I will walk any distance. Despite being instructed, she chose to walk the distance,” a source at the spot told Mirror. The source says it was clear from her body language that was really disturbed, angry and frustrated.“Sasikala thought she would be given all the facilities she had got previously when she accompanied Jayalalithaa when they were convicted. Jaya was the CM of Tamil Nadu then. Since Jaya had health issues, she was given ‘A’ grade facilities and even Sasikala too got all the comforts. But, this time it’s entirely different as the court rejected her request to be a VIP prisoner. Apparently, she was told that that she was no CM and she deserved no special treatment. That was a severe blow to her. All that must have been playing on her mind when she was asked to get into the police jeep. Police wanted her to take the jeep to avoid any kind of law-and-order issues. But Sasikala was quick to say ‘no’,” the source said.HER FIRST DAY IN JAILAccording to a jail official, it was a quiet day/night for Sasikala in the jail and she didn’t sleep the whole night. “She was allotted 10/8 cell with a half-covered washroom. She was sharing room with her sister-in-law Elavarasi. Barring occasional conversations Elavarasi, she refused to speak to anyone. She did not even check with anyone about the news in Tamil Nadu,” he added.Sources said she was given a small cot, given her health issues. She was provided a white saree, but “she didn’t wear it as she did not have a matching white blouse”. She was awake till the early hours of Thursday and slept for just few hours. In the morning, she had tamarind rice and coffee. She didn’t even come out of the cell. “Many people from her party here in Bengaluru and from Chennai tried speaking to her, but she didn’t allow anyone to meet her,” said another source.