HC directs Pune Dist Magistrate to complete inquiry within 10 days

Mumbai, July 27 (UNI) The Bombay High Court today directed the Pune district magistrate to complete inquiry into the suicidal deaths of 24 inmates of the Yerawada Central prison within ten days, which are pending since the year 2000.

Hearing a suo motu writ petition based on a letter written by Anil Gote to the Chief Justice of the Bombay High court, a Division Bench comprising R M S Khandeparkar and Justide Roshan Dalvi also warned the jail administration that the court would take action against its erring officials if it failed to do so.

Gote, a former member of state legislature and an accused in fake stamp case, had brought to light alleged mental and physical harrasment of inmates in the Pune prison. Gote, who is also lodged in the Yerawada prison, had alleged in the letter that a convict Ramesh Gaikwad had committed suicide in the prison because of alleged mental and physical harassment by jail authorities.

During the pendancy of the petition, the jail authorities had informed the court that 35 inmates had committed suicide inside the prison since the year 2000. The state govenment had assured the court, in March this year, that compulsory magistrial inquiries will be completed before Mid June. But even today inquiries have been completed only in 11 suicidal cases. The court came down heavily on the State machinery and directed to complete the remaining inquiries within ten days.

The matter will now come up for further hearing on August 10.

UNI