NEW DELHI: An ongoing case in the Delhi High Court has brought fresh focus on corruption and extortion rackets allegedly operating inside Tihar Jail, with the court informed on Wednesday that nine prison officials have been suspended and transferred following a preliminary probe. The officials are accused of colluding with inmates to extort money in exchange for providing certain facilities within the prison.
The action followed a series of court directions in response to a petition by a former inmate, who flagged serious concerns about extortion, prisoner safety, and overall jail management. The bench of Chief Justice D K Upadhyaya and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela, while hearing the matter, granted the Delhi government and the CBI eight weeks to file a status report, posting the next hearing for October 28. The court also instructed the government to circulate its advisory on preventing such malpractices to all jails in the city, including Tihar, Mandoli, and Rohini.
Earlier, the court had asked the CBI to conduct a preliminary inquiry into the allegations. The agency’s findings indicated the involvement of both inmates and jail staff in “illegal and corrupt activities.” On August 11, describing the claims as “astonishing” and warranting “prompt” and “serious” attention from the government, the bench ordered the CBI to register an FIR.
The Delhi government had previously been directed, on May 2, to carry out a fact-finding inquiry into administrative and supervisory lapses. It informed the court on August 11 that more time was needed to complete the process.
The bench also reviewed a sealed report submitted by the inspecting judge of Central Jail 8 and the semi-open prison. This report, compiled after a “thorough” inquiry, presented “very disturbing facts” pointing to ongoing criminal activities and irregularities in Tihar’s functioning. It relied on multiple pieces of evidence, including call data records showing communication between inmates and outsiders, as well as the misuse of the prison’s official landline for “promoting nefarious activities.”
The court emphasised that the CBI probe must examine not only jail staff but also all others possibly linked to the racket, including relatives of inmates and the petitioner himself, noting that even the inspecting judge’s report cast doubts on the petitioner’s conduct.