High Court Seeks DGP's Response On Selfies Circulated On Social Media Allegedly From Punjab Prison By Murder Accused

The Punjab & Haryana High Court on Friday directed the DGP (Prison), Punjab, to file a detailed affidavit on self-clicked photographs allegedly taken from inside the jail by a murder accused, which were circulated on social media.

The matter came in light while hearing a bail application of a murder accused, who is currently lodged in Central Jail, Patiala.

Justice Manjari Nehru Kaul noted that, "counsel for the complainant has placed on record self-clicked photographs of the petitioner from inside the jail, where he is lodged. Learned counsel submits that while being lodged in Central Jail, Patiala, the petitioner has been blatantly and unabashedly circulating his photographs on the social media."

The Court further added that the counsel drew the attention of the Court to one of the photographs wherein the petitioner, along with other undertrials, "can be seen with a number of mobile handsets."

Raising concern over the condition of Punjab Prisons, the Court said, "In case the submissions made by the learned counsel for the complainant have any grain of truth in them, it just reflects upon the sorry state of affairs prevailing inside the jails of the State of Punjab."

The matter is listed for January 04, for further consideration.

It is pertinent to note that, The Punjab & Haryana High Court has taken suo moto cognisance against usage of phones inside jail premises by inmates and had sought to know "what steps are in place to curb the entry of such prohibited items."

The Court also formed a three-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) headed by Prabodh Kumar IPS, Special DGP, Punjab State Human Rights Commission, to investigate alleged Gangster Lawrence Bishnoi's TV interview to determine the accountability of the officials involved.

Appearance: Saurav Bhatia, Advocate for the complainant.

G.S. Sidhu, Advocate for the petitioner.

Digvijay Nagpal, Asst. Advocate General, Punjab for the respondent/State.

Case Title:  Jagtej Singh vs. State of Punjab