Delhi HC seeks status report of DG in Tihar inmate Ankit Gujjar death case

By Legal Wires 5 Minutes Read

The Delhi High Court sought a status report from the Director-General of Prisons indicating the measures taken by the authorities to ensure the safety and security of other inmates, in the case pertaining to the alleged murder of inmate Ankit Gujjar, inside the Tihar Jail.

The Bench of Justice Mukta Gupta was informed that five inmates who have moved this petition and are as well eyewitnesses in the incident fear that pressure will be mounted on them in order to change the statement.

Three inmates are presently inside the Tihar jail while two of them are on interim bail. The two inmates out on interim bail had informed the family of Ankit Gujjar that he was mercilessly beaten immediately after coming out.

While listing the matter to September 27 “The Director-General of Prisons will ensure that the petitioners no 1 to 3 who are in custody and petitioners no 4 and 5 who will surrender are kept inside an area where CCTV cameras is fully functional so that every ingress and outgress through their cells is maintained and properly monitored.” the court said.

The Court had transferred the probe into Ankit Gujjar’s death from Delhi Police to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) last week. During the course of the hearing, Counsel appearing for CBI informed the Court that it had registered an FIR in the matter.

It was duly noted that Ankit Gujjar was found dead inside Tihar Jail on August 4. He was lodged in Central Jail No. 3. Four officials were also suspended by the DGP in connection with the incident, including Deputy Superintendent, two Assistant Superintendents and one Warden.

“Walls of prison, howsoever high they may be, the foundation of a prison is laid on the Rule of Law ensuring the rights to its inmates enshrined in the Constitution of India.” the court said, while it transferred the case to CBI.

“Further, even when Ankit got injured and was alive, in case proper medical treatment was provided to him, his life could have been saved and thus an investigation not only as to who all committed the offence of brutally beating the deceased Ankit resulting in his death has to be carried out, but the role of jail doctors in not providing proper treatment at the right time is also required to be ascertained by a proper inquiry,” the Court noted.

Therefore, the court directed the Director-General of Prison to file a status report indicating the measures taken to streamline the system as regards the CCTV cameras at the Jail and accountability of the Jail officers and Jail doctors and the mechanism by which immediate entry is provided to the police to the Jail on receipt of information of a cognizable offence and the remedial steps taken thereon.

Legal Wires

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