VELLORE: The report of the Chief Judicial Magistrate of Vellore, quoted in the FIR registered by the CB-CID against Vellore Range Prison DIG R Rajalakshmi and 13 other prison officials, has thrown light on the employment of convict prisoners as domestic helps by prison officials in violation of rules and alleged torture of the prisoners.
The FIR filed on Saturday, as per the direction of Madras High Court, against 14 prison officials, including Vellore Range Prison DIG R. Rajalakshmi, Additional Superintendent Abdul Rahman for alleged harassment and torture of life convict S. Sivakumar at the Vellore Central Prison, relies on the report by CJM.
The CJM had said in their report that as per the statements of Sivakumar and perusal of “in” and “out” registers, the prisoner was first deputed for work at the fuel station and later the resident of Rajalakshmi as house maid. “I believe his statement to that extent bonafide,” the CJM said.
The CJM, however, said that a conclusion could not be arrived at regarding the claims of theft of Rs. 4.25 lakh from DIG’s house and ill-treatment and torture meted out to Sivakumar solely based on his statement and further investigation into it will be required.
However, the CJM added that due to the “impact of some incident,” Sivakumar was kept in solitary confinement in one block for 81 days and another block for 14 days. The CJM said detailed enquiry is required to prove the allegations of torture inflicted on Sivakumar by Additional Superintendent of Central Prison, the jailer and others.
The CJM also noted that according to Rule 447 of Prison Manual Rules 1983, no convict shall be employed outside the walls of prison or permitted to pass out of prison for employment without the sanction of Inspector General of Prisons. According to the CJM’s report, no such proceedings of IG Prisons was shown by the prison authorities.
The proceedings of Superintendent of Central Prison produced before the CJM also permitted the services of convicts to be utilised at the fuel station and for gardening and sanitation, but not for working as “house maids” at the residence of DIG. “It is firm that there was abuse of powers in utilising the services of convicts at the residence of DIG with slavery treatment affecting the liberty of the convicts,” the CJM’s report quoted in the FIR said.
Importantly, the CJM noted that no complaints were registered at the Bagayam police station, which is the jurisdictional police station for DIG’s house, regarding the alleged theft of 4.25 lakh from her house.
Other officials included in the FIR were Jailer Arulkumaran, the DIG’s Personal Security Officer Raju, and constables Mani, Rashid, Prasanth, Raja, Thamizhselvan, Viji. Women constables Saraswathi and Selvi, and prison warders Suresh and Sethu, have also been booked.
The CJM recommended a detailed probe by an appropriate agency to bring more clarity on the treatment of convicts, including Sivakumar.
Following the inquiry, a final report was submitted as per the High Court’s directives. It was established that Sivakumar had been unlawfully employed at the DIG’s residence and was held in solitary confinement without proper authorisation. Consequently, an FIR was registered on 6th September 2024. The case has now been forwarded to the Superintendent of Police, CBCID, for further investigation, and the original FIR has been submitted to the Judicial Magistrate Court, Vellore.
