CHENNAI: After a report submitted by the chief judicial magistrate (CJM) of Vellore confirmed that a life convict, who was made to do household work at the residence of DIG (prisons) and accused of stealing cash and valuables, was tortured, the Madras High Court on Thursday directed CB-CID to book criminal cases against the prison staff involved and intimate it about action taken in two weeks. The report also pointed out serious violations at the Vellore central prison, including staff indulging in commission of offences.
Describing the act as shocking, the Madras High Court ordered to book the delinquent prison staff and transfer the victim to Salem central prison. He was tortured after being accused of stealing cash and valuables from the DIG’s residence.
The order was passed on Thursday by a division bench of justices SM Subramaniam and V Sivagnanam on a petition filed by the mother of life convict S Sivakumar. She had alleged that her son was framed for stealing Rs 4.5 lakh cash and silverware, and later he was subjected to assault and torture at the prison by the staff, inflicting grievous injuries.
The petitioner’s counsel P Pugalenthi brought to the notice of the court that the convict was falsely accused of theft and was not provided with proper treatment. As per an earlier order of the court, the CJM visited the prison and held inquiries. He filed the report on Thursday.
“We have gone through the report in (its) entirety and it is shocking to our conscience. Serious allegations are raised against the prison authorities which require a detailed enquiry. It is not only a case of violation of the Prison Manual, but a case of harassment/torture of the convict prisoner inside the prison. Illegal utilisation of convict prisoners in the residences of the jail authorities are also stated in the report,” the bench observed.
The bench directed the CB-CID SP in Chennai to register criminal cases based on the report of the CJM against all the offenders and intimate the action taken to the court on September 20. The bench directed the Salem central prison superintendent to provide all necessary medical treatment to the convict. The bench also ordered the DGP of prisons to examine the contents of the CJM report and initiate departmental action against the errant officials within 10 days.