No footage of convicts found intoxicated in Tihar, Supreme Court fumes

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, April 2

The Supreme Court has sought an affidavit from Tihar Jail superintendent on CCTV cameras installed on the prison premises after three death row convicts found to be intoxicated last month leading to use of force by the police.

“The affidavit shall disclose where exactly the CCTV cameras have been installed and whether the control room and the boundary wall of the jail are covered or not. It shall also disclose under what circumstances, materials, such as tobacco pouches or any other contraband find their way inside the jail and what kind of preventive and other measures are being taken by the jail authorities,” a Bench headed by Justice UU Lalit said.

Asking the superintendent to file the affidavit by April 5, the Bench posted the matter for further hearing on April 8. The order was passed on March 25 after the receipt of a report by a subordinate court judge that accused Rahul – one of the three death row convicts in this case — was unable to walk properly.

The Bench was surprised to note that the superintendent was asked to get accused Rahul medically examined furnish certificate but no such documents were placed on record. Though a CCTV was installed near the dispensary, the life of the CCTV footage was only four days, it was told.

A Bench headed by Justice Rohinton F Nariman had recently ordered the installation of CCTV cameras at various places in the jail, but in this case no CCTV footage was available, it noted.

Seeks explanation on CCTVs on jail campus

• Three death row convicts were found to be intoxicated last month leading to use of force by the police
• Noting that there was no CCTV footage of the incident, the SC has sought an affidavit from Tihar Jail superintendent on the matter