"Case Of Custodial Torture": Delhi HC Reserves Order On Plea Seeking Transfer Of Probe To CBI In Alleged Murder Of Tihar Inmate Ankit Gujjar

Calling it a serious matter, the Delhi High Court on Thursday remarked that the death of 29 year old Tihar Jail inmate, Ankit Gujjar, is a clear case of custodial torture.

Justice Mukta Gupta made the said observation while reserving order on the plea seeking transfer of probe into Ankit's alleged murder inside the jail premises, from Delhi Police to Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

The plea moved by Ankit's mother, sister and brother through Advocates Mehmood Pracha and Shariq Nisar, alleged that Ankit was being harassed by jail officials and was in fact murdered as a part of a pre-planned conspiracy.

Ankit Gujjar was found dead inside Tihar Jail on August 4. He was lodged in Central Jail No. 3.

Four officials were also suspended by the DGP in connection with the incident, including Deputy Superintendent, two Assistant Superintendents and one Warden.

The Court also observed that if the allegations of extortion is true, then same incidents might be happening with others as well.

"It's a case of custodial violence and who has done it is also very clear," the Court observed orally.

Earlier, the Court had sought status report from Tihar Jail authorities as well as the Delhi Police in the plea.

It had also directed Director General (Prisons) to preserve all the CCTV footages having bearing on the incident, i.e. prior to the incident, at the time of incident and thereafter.

"The brutality meted out to the deceased as evidenced from the photographs of his corpse, coupled with the fact that he was left to die in a solitary cell without any medical attention whatsoever, renders to the present case a colour of the rarest of rare category," the plea read.

Case Title: GEETA AND ORS v. STATE & ORS