HC registers suo motu petition to compensate kin of prisoners

The Madras High Court today initiated a suo motu petition to identify and award suitable compensation to the families of prisoners who died in jails due to unnatural causes between 2012 and 2015.
A bench of Chief Justice Indira Banerjee and Justice M Sundar said that on the directions of the Supreme Court, "we initiate a suo motu petition to identify the next of kin of the prisoners who admittedly died" due to unnatural causes between 2012 and 2015 as revealed by the National Crime Records Bureau.
The apex court order in this regard had come on September 15.
Passing a slew of directions on prison reforms, the Supreme Court had directed all state governments to appoint counsellors and support persons for prisoners, particularly first-time offenders.

It had also ordered all states to study the availability of medical assistance to prisoners and take remedial steps wherever necessary.
The Madras High Court will next hear the matter on October 30.