Madras High Court directs Chief Judicial Magistrate to meet prisoner allegedly beaten by prison authorities, submit report

Chennai: The Madras High Court has directed the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Tiruvallur to visit Central Prison-I, Puzhal here and meet the remand prisoner Jeyanthan, who was allegedly brutally attacked by the prison authorities, conduct an enquiry, record his statement and submit a report along with his opinion on or before December 17.

A division bench comprising Justices S M Subramaniam and M Jothiraman gave the directive while passing orders recently on a petition filed by Ananthi, mother of the remand prisoner.

The bench said the statement was to be obtained not in the presence of the jail authorities, including the Superintendent of Prison.

The bench said the counsel for the petitioner submitted that the mother of the prisoner received information through an advocate on October 17, 2024, that her son/prisoner, Jeyanthan, was beaten by police officer Prashanth Pandian, on October 16 and he got severely injured. He was unconscious and not taken to the hospital for treatment.

The petitioner immediately went to Puzhal Prison to meet her son on October 18 and she was shocked to see her son injured on his face, above right eye.

When the petitioner asked about the injury, he was nervous and did not say anything to the petitioner. The counsel further submitted that a police officer was standing nearby the prisoner, the bench added.

The bench said the counsel further submitted that when the petitioner went to meet the Superintendent of Prison for providing treatment, the petitioner was not allowed to meet the Superintendent of Prison and she was allowed to speak with the jailor only through phone.

The counsel further submitted that the jailor asked the petitioner to bring the medical records of the prisoner for providing further treatment.

The bench said the counsel also submitted that the medical report issued by the Department of Radiodiagnosis and Imaging, Government Stanley Medical College Hospital, Chennai, revealed that there was an accidental hit over rod X 1 month. The nature of the injury caused to the prisoner raises a doubt, the counsel had added.

The bench said the additional public prosecutor submitted that the Superintendent of Prison had allowed the prisoner to take treatment and was being provided. "However, we found some force in the contention raised on behalf of the petitioner", the bench added and gave the above directive in order to find out the truth behind the allegations set out in the petition.

The bench said the authorities were directed to ensure that the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Tiuvallur was able to conduct an enquiry with the prisoner without the presence of the prison authorities and all arrangements were directed to be made.