Delhi wants high-risk inmates to attend court hearings from jail. Here’s the plan

Initial work has started and tenders are likely to be floated soon for the final implementation of the project.

Why moving prisoners to court is risky

Officials said transporting high-profile prisoners and gangsters with known rivals requires additional security arrangements and route planning.

“The extra security arrangements and transportation all cost money. If enough VC cubicles are set up within the prisons, we can save a lot of money and avoid security-related issues and mishaps,” an official said.

The security risks were underscored by the 2021 killing of gangster Jitender Gogi inside Rohini Court. Members of his arch-rival Tillu Tajpuriya’s gang, posing as lawyers, shot him dead on the court premises. They were later gunned down by members of the Delhi Police Special Cell’s Counter Intelligence team accompanying Gogi.

“In such cases, there is a security threat not only to the inmate but also to police personnel and the public. The government aims to prevent such incidents by reducing the physical movement of inmates wherever possible,” an official said.

Officials said approximately 2,000 inmates are produced before courts every day. “Except when cross-examination during trial is required, inmates can be produced before courts virtually,” an official said.

In some high-profile cases, inmates themselves have sought virtual hearings.

In 2024, Aaftab Poonawala, accused of killing his live-in partner Shraddha Walkar, moved an application before the Saket court seeking permission to attend all his court hearings through video conferencing, citing a “security threat”.

His application came after an associate of jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi reportedly informed Mumbai Police that there was a plan to kill Poonawala.