Phones in jails: Officers of Ropar, Goindwal directed to explain
Chandigarh, January 29
The Punjab and Haryana High Court has directed the superintendents of Ropar and Goindwal District Jail to appear in court and explain their positions regarding the possession of a mobile phone by a convict. They have been asked to spell out why appropriate action should not be initiated for dereliction of duty. Additionally, they have been asked to specify how the mobile phone found its way into the jail.
The direction by Justice Alok Jain of the high court came on a petition alleging high-handedness and inhumane treatment to the convict by the officials concerned. During the hearing of the petition against the State of Punjab and other respondents before Justice Jain’s Bench, counsel Pardeep Virk argued that petitioner Gaurav Sharma alias Goru Bacha was currently serving a conviction related to a case registered on January 23, 2016, at Division No. 5 police station in Ludhiana district.
Appearing before the Bench, Virk further emphasised that the petition was filed against the official respondents due to their alleged high-handedness and inhumane treatment of the petitioner. The State counsel, on the other hand, told the Bench that the petitioner was charged under the provisions of the Prisons Act for having a mobile phone in the jail after the filing of the present petition detailing out the atrocities against him.
The State counsel also told Justice Jain’s Bench that the petitioner had, in fact, been shifted from Ropar District Jail to Goindwal District Jail “and there he was found having possession of a mobile phone.” Justice Jain asserted: “The matter is serious in nature and, hence, let the Superintendent of District Jail, Ropar, as well as Superintendent of District Jail, Goindwal, be present in court and explain why appropriate action should not be taken against them.”
