NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court Tuesday sought responses from the AAP government and Tihar prison authorities on allegations by some inmates that the Tamil Nadu Special Police, which takes care of the jail's security, was violating human rights.
The inmates of a high-risk ward of the jail levelled the allegations in a letter to the court, which was converted into a PIL by a bench of Chief Justice Rajendra Menon and Justice V K Rao.
The bench issued notices to the Delhi government, director general of prisons, the Tamil Nadu Special Police (TSP) and some of its officers, who have been named in the communication, seeking their stand on the issue.
The inmates, around 15 of them, from the high-risk ward of Central Jail 8 of Tihar have specifically accused a TSP sub-inspector of inciting other prisoners to assault Muslim inmates lodged in the ward.
Besides, the letter also alleged that threats of use of force by TSP officers. Some of the officers have been accused of "misbehaviour while frisking inmates" and having "no regard for human dignity", according to the letter.
The complainant inmates have alleged that a "feeling of terror has been created" among them by the TSP officers, who have "planned and organised disputes across the jail" to get an "opportunity" to use force against prisoners.
The court asked the Delhi government, prison authorities and TSP to respond to the allegations by January 14, 2019, the next date of hearing in the matter.