Convict's wife produced before HC

Chennai, Feb 22 (UNI) A convict's wife, who was was allegedly gang raped by prison staff of Vellore central prison and was found missing for the past few weeks, was produced before the Madras High court today.

After the court came down heavily on the Additional Director General of Police (Prisons) for his lackadaisical approach in handling the case, the police acted swiftly and traced the victim Nadhiya (25) in Tirupur yesterday and produced her before the court this morning.

Mr Justice D Murugesan and Mr Justice V Periakaruppaiah, who constituted a division bench, said they would speak to the victim incamera and pass orders in the afternoon.

The court was acting on a habeas corpus petition, filed by Nadhia's husband, a convict, lodged in Vellore central prison.

The convict submitted that his wife, while visiting him in the prison, had told him that she was gang raped by four prison staff. After she revealed the incident, she went missing and sought court's help to trace her.

When Nadhiya was produced before the court, the defence counsel pleaded that she be subjected to a medical test and till then she could in the custody of a lady advocate.

However, the government pleader objected to this, saying that the victim should be admitted to a government home.

When he referred the case as ''so called complaint'', the bench took objection.

How could you refer the case as so called complaint (complaint of gang rape) when the court had asked the Superintendent of Police to enquire into the complaint and file a report before the court on February 25,'' the court asked.

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