JKHC takes note of delay in producing detainees in courts

Srinagar, Oct 29 (UNI) The Jammu and Kashmir High Court has termed as violation of Supreme Court orders the inordinate delay in producing detainees before the courts.

Treating a writ petition filed by the Kashmir Bar Association as a public interest litigation (PIL), a single bench of Justice Bashir Ahmed Kirmani directed the state government to disclose the number of under-trials who have not been produced before courts.

The bench also directed the state government to keep detainees in nearest jails so that they could be produced before the courts on due dates.

It also referred to a High Court order of December 21 last year in which the state government was directed to give details of each detainee who had not been produced in courts for past six months.

In response to the court order, a counsel of the state government on March 20 this year furnished an affidavit on behalf of the Director General of Police (DGP).

In the affidavit, the DGP filed a list of 93 under-trials who were not produced before the courts due to ''law and order problem, VIP security duties, lack of transport, lack of police escort and the inclement weather.'' He mentioned that District Level Committees of District and Sessions Judges, District Magistrates, SSPs and Chief Medical Officers visit each jail within their jurisdiction to ascertain physical condition of detainees.

The court directed the committees to visit the jails once a month and submit a report about the condition of under-trials before November 30.

UNI AG VD BD1421