Expressing its disappointment with prison authorities of the national capital, a Delhi court on Tuesday indicated that the judge may personally visit the jail premises for inspection if the grievances of the seven out of 15 accused in the case related to an alleged conspiracy behind the northeast Delhi violence is not solved.
Additional Sessions Judge Amitabh Rawat expressed unhappiness after it was submitted by the seven accused persons that they were not getting basic facilities like warm clothes and slippers.
The court directed the Director General (Prisons) to look into the grievances of the accused and suggested deputing someone to conduct a physical inspection on the various grievances of the accused lodged in both Tihar and Mandoli jails.
The judge also said that if the situation did not improve in a week, then he may personally go and inspect the jail premises. The court also sought to know why everybody was complaining about the facilities in jail and directed that an officer not below the rank of Additional Director General (Prisons) to appear before it on the next date of hearing.
The seven accused persons -- Gulfisha Fatima, Ishrat Jahan, Asif Iqbal Tanha, Devangana Kalita, Meeran Haider, Shadab Khan and Athar Khan -- had moved the court with their grievances about not receiving basic facilities in prison.
One of the accused Athar Khan told the court that some of the inmates have been hospitalised and some are isolated after they were detected with symptoms of Covid-19.
Another accused Asif Iqbal Tanha alleged discrimination and complained of not getting the order copy, where his bail plea had been rejected. He also complained of not being allowed to meet his family for the last two and a half months.
Fatima complained that her letters addressed to the higher authorities two months back, have not been forwarded to the concerned persons. The court has listed the matter for further hearing on November 23.
The Special Cell of the Delhi Police had chargesheeted 15 accused persons under the provisions of stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act among others in connection with an alleged conspiracy behind the violence that erupted in the northeast area of the national capital in February this year.
At least 53 people were killed and hundreds of others were injured in the violence that took place in northeast Delhi between February 24 and 26 sparked by clashes between groups supporting and opposing the Citizenship Amendment Act.
( With inputs from ANI )
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