Uttarakhand High Court Directs Police To Ensure Extradited Gangster's Safety Outside Jail

The Uttarakhand High Court recently directed the Uttarakhand Police to ensure protection of extradited gangster Prakash Chandra Pandey alias Bunty Pandey while taking him from Central Jail, Sitarganj to different courts on the dates of hearing.

"Keeping in view the facts of the case on reasonable apprehension of petitioner that his life may be at risk, the writ petition is allowed. A writ of Mandamus is issued to the respondents to ensure protection of the petitioner by providing proper escort of the petitioner from Central Jail, Sitarganj, Uttarakhand to different Courts, in which his case(s) are pending on different dates of hearing etc. and back to Central Jail, Sitarganj," said the court.

The single bench of Justice Sanjaya Kumar Mishra also directed the jail authorities to produce him in Dr Susheela Tiwari Government Hospital, Haldwani for his treatment. The court noted that the cost of treatment shall be borne by either the petitioner himself or his relatives. 

Pandey, who was a former member of the Chhota Rajan gang, was extradited to India from Vietnam in 2010.

He had approached the court with a petition seeking police protection when he is produced in different courts and medical treatment at Dr. Susheela Tiwari Government Hospital.

The court noted that the petitioner allegedly belongs to an organized crime syndicate and has been prosecuted in the State of Maharashtra, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand.

"Currently, he is lodged in Central Jail, Sitarganj and police escort party is deputed by Uttarakhand Police to escort him to different courts and back to the Central Jail, Sitarganj," it said.

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