HC seeks explanation from Police for booking prisoners in Tihar

New Delhi, June 22 (UNI) The Delhi High Court today sought an explanation from the Delhi Police for booking 31 people accused of petty offences despite its June 18 order of releasing such inmates from Tihar Jail.

A Vacation Bench, comprising Justices Pradeep Nandrajog and P K Bhasin, asked Police Commissioner K K Paul to file an affidavit disclosing the details of the offences committed by these people, who were lodged in the jail on June 19.

The Tihar Jail authorities have filed a petition in the Delhi High Court seeking clarification of its June 18 order which directed them to release 600 prisoners who were booked for petty offences keeping in view owercrowding at the jail.

The Court had asked the authorities to deal with these prisoners at the local police station level and that their bail condition should be to mark their presence by reporting twice in a day to the respective local Station House Officer (SHO).

Tihar jail officials were surprised by the fact that on the one hand, they had orders from the High Court to decongest the jail and release prisoners booked for petty offences but on the other hand, further people were being booked under the same offences. So, the problem of decongestion of the jail remained unaddressed.

The Court asked the Police Commissioner to reply by July 2, why these offenders were not dealt by the local police.

Recently, eight prisoners died within a span of eight days in the Tihar jail. The court constituted a three-member fact-finding committee to find the cause of their death. The committee in its report had stated that, besides other reasons, the deaths were caused due to overcrowding of the prison cells and excessive heat.

The High Court took suo motu cognizance of the committee report and ordered release of 600 inmates lodged in Tihar for committing petty offences by furnishing a personal bond of Rs 2000.

Complying with the June 18 order of the court, 623 inmates were released on June 19.

Tihar officials were surprised by the callous attitude of the local police for again booking 31 people for the same offences, making the problem of Tihar persist endlessly.

UNI