Notice to govt advocate on petition for action against jail

Madras High Court today issued notice to the government advocate on a petition seeking disciplinary and criminal action against jail officials allegedly involved in the attack on prisoners at Central Prison at Puzhal on March 24 this year.
The first bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Satish K Agnihotri and Justice M M Sundresh directed government advocate S T S Moorthy to file his reply within two weeks.
In his petition, P Pugalenthi an advocate and director of Prisoners' Rights Forum, referred to the incident when about 500 prisoners "appeared" to have gone on fast, demanding their release as they were allegedly booked under false cases.

They were also angry at court delays on petitions against their detention.
He further said their Haebeas Corpus petitions are pending for long in the high court.
The petitioner said he visited the prison personally and met some of the prisoners who did not wish to disclose what happened that day. He also referred to a news report in an English daily which said 23 prisoners were hurt and four moved to other jails.

He further said his personal enquiries revealed that more than 20 prisoners were seriously injured and about 100 injured in the incident.
The petitioner sought to know why prisoners on peaceful protest were attacked by prison officials and alleged that the seriously injured prisoners were not properly taken care of.

A judicial inquiry into the whole episode was a must in the interest of justice, he said.
The petitioner said those officials responsible for the attack deserve to be punished as per law and sought a direction to the Secretary (Home Department) and Additional Director General of Police (Prisons) to take criminal and disciplinary action against those involved.