Delhi High Court has ordered a CBI inquiry into a suspected extortion racket inside Tihar Jail involving officials. The court called the allegations serious and demanded accountability.
New Delhi: On May 2, The Delhi High Court has taken serious note of allegations that an extortion racket is being operated from inside Tihar Jail with the help of some jail officials. On Friday, the court asked the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to carry out a preliminary inquiry into the matter.
A bench made up of Chief Justice D.K. Upadhyaya and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela heard the case and expressed deep concern over the situation inside one of India’s largest prisons.
The court also directed the Principal Secretary of the Home Department of the Delhi government to carry out a separate fact-finding inquiry.
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This inquiry will look into which officials were responsible for the failure in administration and supervision inside the jail.
The bench mentioned that the petition filed in the court had brought forward many serious issues about what is happening inside Tihar Jail.
These issues were not limited to just the jail staff, but also involved prisoners.
The court said,
“The petition highlights certain irregularities, illegalities, malpractices and misconduct not only on part of the jail authorities but also inmates.”
The judges were particularly concerned that the extortion racket was being carried out by inmates with the help of jail authorities.
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In return for money, the inmates were being allowed to get special or illegal facilities inside the prison.
The court said,
“The allegations are as serious as that in connivance with jail authorities extortion racket was going on in jail premises for procuring certain facilities.”
Because of the seriousness of these allegations, the Delhi High Court felt that the matter must be properly investigated by the CBI.
The aim is to find out the truth about the alleged illegal activities and also identify who all were responsible, especially the officials who failed to stop such crimes from happening inside the jail.
The directions given by the High Court reflect the urgent need to bring accountability and transparency to the jail system in Delhi. The fact that such illegal activities could be happening in one of the most secure jails in the country is alarming and shows the need for better checks, controls, and supervision.
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With the CBI now involved, the coming weeks are expected to bring more clarity on how deep the alleged extortion racket runs and who all are involved in it.
Both the CBI and the Delhi government’s Home Department will play a key role in uncovering the truth and ensuring that such activities do not continue inside jails in the future.
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