HC takes cognizance of Tihar women's deplorable condition

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday took suo motu cognizance of a letter sent by the Supreme Court's Justice Kurian Joseph regarding the deplorable condition of 614 women inmates lodged in the Tihar jail here.

A division bench of Chief Justice G. Rohini and Justice G.P. Mittal posted the matter for Thursday.

Justice Kurian Joseph wrote to the high court Chief Justice after he received appeals from the women prisoners lodged in jail No.6, explaining their suffering and grievances.

The women prisoners, who are serving their sentence or are facing trial, said children aged more than six cannot be kept in jail with their mothers, and they were also denied bail and cannot meet their children outside.

There are 614 women in jail No.6 meant for women. Of them, 234 are convicts and 412 are undertrials.

There are 32 children with their undertrial mothers in jail.

Of the 614 women, 27 are foreigners, said the letter.

The women requested that undertrials be released on personal bonds. They also alleged lack of sympathy from the courts and doctors in the jail.

The inmates contended that legal aid available in the jail for female prisoners was not serving its true purpose.

The letter asked Justice Rohini to take up the matter "appropriately so that the cry for justice is answered in accordance with law with the promptitude with which a mother responds to the cry of her child".