Undertrial alleges assault in jail,judge orders probe

He told the court of Additional Sessions Judge Kamini Lau that he had been threatened by jail officials as he had filed complaints against some of them.

He claimed that he was transferred to Rohini Jail and put into the same barracks as three other undertrials who had fought with him earlier as well.

Rajender alleged that the three undertrials — Veer Bahadur,Himanshu and Hari Singh — had attacked him with blades on the intervening night of April 11-12. The prisoner was produced before court with bandages on his face and wounds on the shoulders.

“Allegations made by the undertrial are serious and,prima facie,disclose commission of cognisable offence upon him while in judicial custody (i.e. authorized custody of the court),” ASJ Lau said.

The court also raised questions regarding a report sent by the Deputy Superintendent of Rohini Jail,which had claimed that Rajender had attacked Hari Singh and Veer Bahadur.

“From the injuries seen on the body of Rajender,it does not appear that the injuries are self-inflicted. How is it that the Deputy Superintendent has reached a conclusion as to who inflicted injuries on whom and that too without a formal inquiry?” Judge Lau said.

The court then asked DIG (Prisons) to conduct an inquiry and inform the court of the circumstances under which the undertrial was “earlier shifted from Rohini jail to Tihar and then back to Rohini jail again and put in the same barrack”.

The court also directed jail authorities to constitute a medical board to look into the injuries sustained by Rajender and his fellow inmates. It has asked the CMM court to receive all reports related to the inquiry into Rajender’s allegations.