JOIN USCustodial torture and hostilities of jail authorities towards inmates have made prisoners to live at their "mercy", a Delhi court has said while dealing with a case of a convict serving life sentence here.
The court, which dealt with complaint of an inmate fearing threat to his life from the custodians of jail, also said an ordinary prisoner has no chance before the mighty institution of prison to get redressal.
Additional sessions judge Kamini Lau made these observations while dealing with plea of Anil Kumar, who was shifted to Rohini jail from the high-security Tihar jail.
Custodial torture
Kumar, who was earlier associated with the elite National Security Guards (NSG) and convicted in a murder case, has made the complaint of custodial torture in Tihar jail but later preferred not to pursue it saying it would create more problem than solving it during his remaining jail term.
Though, the court had shifted Kumar, it said its order would not come in the way of jail authorities in inquiring the matter of custodial torture.
“I have considered the submissions made by the convict (Kumar).
Under trial prisoner
“This court is not oblivious of the circumstances and hostilities which exist within the prisons and also realise that an ordinary under trial prisoner/convict stands no chance before the mighty institution of prison being at the mercy of these officials.
“Merely the complainant (Kumar) does not wish to pursue his complaint being apprehensive, this should not come in the way of the jail authorities for inquiring into the allegations of custodial torture and in case if allegations are found to be correct, for proceeding against the erring officers,” the court said.
During the hearing, DIG (Prisons) R N Sharma told the court that jail authorities would make an independent inquiry at their level on Kumar's complaint.