Plea alleging atrocities on 2 Iranian nationals in jail; SC asks consulate general to approach HC

The Supreme Court Friday asked the Consulate General of Iran to approach the Madras High Court with his plea which has alleged that two Iranian nationals, who are undergoing 20-year sentence in a narcotics case, have been harassed by a jail superintendent in Chennai.

The plea came up for hearing through video-conferencing before a bench comprising Chief Justice S A Bobde and Justices A S Bopanna and Hrishikesh Roy.

"Counsel for the petitioner seeks permission to withdraw this petition with liberty to approach the Madras High Court. Permission sought for is granted. The writ petition is dismissed as withdrawn with the liberty afore-mentioned," the bench said in its order.

"In case the petitioner fails before the high court, liberty is reserved to the petitioner to move this court once over again by filing appropriate petition," the bench said.

The plea, filed through advocate Rajiv Raheja, had sought directions to the Tamil Nadu government and other concerned authorities to protect Iranian nationals -- Masoud Mosavi and Mahmood Zafarany -- from the alleged "threats and illegal actions" of a jail superintendent of Puzhal central prison in Chennai.

The plea had sought a direction for a judicial inquiry into the alleged atrocities committed by the jail superintendent against the inmates lodged there.

It had also sought a direction to the authorities to pay a compensation of Rs one crore each to the families of Mosavi and Zafarany for the alleged "inhuman treatment" and violation of their rights.

The plea said that the Embassy had pursued the matter with the state administration, including the office of the chief minister of Tamil Nadu, but neither any action has been taken against the "errant officer" so far nor were any remedial measures taken by the jail authorities.

The plea said that Mosavi and Zafarany were sentenced to 20 years in jail under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act and are undergoing imprisonment for the past seven years.

It said that appeals filed by them against the trial court's verdict are pending before the high court.