Tihar officials granted interim bail till April 19

New Delhi, Apr 14 (UNI) The Delhi High Court today granted bail to three top officials of Tihar Jail, who were arrested yesterday on the direction of the subordinate court for allegedly running an extortion-cum-drugs racket in the jail.

Justice B N Chaturvedi released Deputy Superintendent K S Meena, Assistant Superintendent Dhananjay Rawat and junior officer Mange Ram on interim bail till April 19.

The three officials were sent to jail by the Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (ACMM) Kamini Lau on the complaint of an inmate of British origin- Christopher James, who was allegedly beaten up and critically injured when he exposed the racket last year.

After finding prima facie evidence, Lau took cognizance of the offence under various sections for voluntarily causing hurt (section 323), running an extortion racket(Section 511) and attempt to commit criminal offence and directed the police to arrest the accused immediately on Friday.

The High Court asked the ACMM to hear the bail applications of the accused on April 16.

James, lodged in jail number 7 for a cheating offence, in a written complaint to the Judge alleged that the three jail officials and some convicts were running an extortion-cum-drug racket.

He was beaten up by the officials on September 24 last year by the officials for lodging a complaint to the higher authorities, James said in the complaint.

UNI