The Delhi High Court was informed that nine Tihar Jail officials were suspended over an alleged extortion racket with inmates. The CBI has been directed to register an FIR and probe “illegal and corrupt activities” in city jails.
New Delhi: On August 13, the Delhi government informed the Delhi High Court that it had suspended nine officials of Tihar Jail and initiated disciplinary proceedings against them after they were accused of being involved in an extortion racket alongside jail inmates.
This update was given after the High Court had earlier asked the Delhi government’s Home Department to share details of the action taken, following the court’s direction to conduct an inquiry into administrative lapses inside the jail.
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Earlier this week, on Monday, the High Court had also ordered the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to register an FIR and investigate
“illegal and corrupt activities in the city’s jails, involving authorities and inmates.”
This order came after the CBI had submitted its preliminary inquiry report. The court, after looking at the report, said it showed
“the involvement of inmates and jail officials in various kinds of illegal and corrupt activities.”
During Wednesday’s hearing, the Delhi government informed the court that it would submit a detailed report within two months.
At this point, the court orally told the government,
“Please follow disciplinary rules strictly,”
referring to the Central Civil Services (CCS) Rules.
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A bench of Chief Justice D K Upadhyaya and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela then gave the government eight weeks to file its status report in the matter.
The case is linked to a petition that had alleged that inmates, with the help of jail authorities, were carrying out irregular and illegal activities to “exact illegal money.”
Acting on this petition, on May 2, the High Court had directed the CBI to conduct a preliminary inquiry and also asked the Delhi government’s Home Department to carry out a separate investigation into any administrative lapses.
The issue first came to the court’s attention in September last year, when the High Court had ordered the Inspecting Judge of Tihar Jail to examine the evidence and allegations made in the petition and submit a report. The Inspecting Judge later submitted this report in a sealed cover.
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After reading the report, the court had noted that
“very disturbing and startling facts have been revealed pointing not only to certain irregularities and illegalities in the functioning of Tihar Jail but also to issues touching upon even criminal activities going on there.”
CASE TITLE:
Mohit Kumar Goyal vs State of NCT of Delhi And Or
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