The Punjab and Haryana High Court on Tuesday directed the state home secretary to furnish information regarding undertrials who have not been produced before trial courts in the last three months. The direction came after the state government informed the court that police personnel were too busy providing security cover to VVIPs and VIPs,including judges of the high court,during their visits to Amritsar. It government was replying to a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by Amritsar Jail inmate Daljit Singh,who had sought directions to concerned authorities to provide adequate security for producing undertrial prisoners in courts for speedy justice. The reply was filed by superintendent of Amritsar Central Jail. The court also made it clear that if the information was not furnished,the home secretary will have to be present in the court on January 10,the next date of hearing. It also asked the authorities to explain the reasons why undertrials are not being produced in courts. The petitioner had averred that for the last two months,the police had stopped producing undertrials outside Amritsar district due to the involvement of police personnel in VVIP/VIP duties and other law and order duties.
