Gujarat HC rejects blasts accused plea for home food in jail

The Gujarat High Court today dismissed a petition filed by a 2008 Ahmedabad serial bomb blasts accused who had sought permission for home-made food in the jail during the ongoing month of Ramzan.
A Bench comprising Chief Justice Bhaskar Bhattacharya and J B Pardiwala rejected the petition on the ground that it lacked substance and that the state government had made adequate arrangements for providing food twice to prisoners observing fast during the Muslim holy month.
The HC noted sufficient care has been taken to provide food at appropriate times (after sunset and before sunrise) to such inmates by deviating from the routine schedule.

The petition, filed by Naved Naeemuddin Kadri, had said Muslim prisoners, who observe fast, need to take sufficient and nutritious food, which is not available in the jail. Kadri is currently lodged in Sabarmati Central Jail here.
According to a 2009 Gujarat government circular, undertrial prisoners, except in some rare cases, are not allowed home-made food.
Public Prosecutor Prakash Jani had earlier submitted the state had made special arrangements for prisoners who observe fast during Ramzan. Special barracks are erected for such convicts/undertrials and steps are taken to ensure they carry on religious activities unhindered during this period.
Jani also gave details about the arrangements made in the jail for such inmates.

Fifty-seven people were killed when a series of bombs had rocked Ahmedabad on July 26, 2008. Sixty-eight accused are facing trial in the case which is being conducted in the high- security Sabarmati Central Jail.