Arthur Road Jail authorities deny of brutal assault on inmates

Mumbai, Jul 16 (UNI) The Arthur Road Jail officials today denied that the 40 accused involved in various cases, including the serial train blasts, Malegaon blast and Aurangabad arms seizure, were assaulted brutally by Jail staff while they were being shifted from the jail to various jails across Maharashtra.

Filing an affidavit before a division bench of Bombay High court, compising Justice Bilal Nazki and Justice Asutush Kumbhkoni, Superitendent of Arthur Road Jail Swati Sathe said the accused were shifted after taking approval from the Inspector General (prison) and the court, as the trial of these accused has been stayed by the Supreme Court.

She told the court that during the shifting, the accused had raised anti-national slogans, following which the atmosphere in the jail was tense and police were called in.

The court was also told that during the transfer, there were heated arguments between jail staff and the inmates, forcing the staff to resort to use of a minimum force permissible under the law.

During which, some of the accused and policemen sustained minor injuries, which were treated in the jail's hospital.

The court was hearing a petition filed by one of the accused's son, seeking judicial probe into the incident.

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