Left In Cold Without Warm Clothes, Jailed Activists Seek Basic Facilities

Judge directs Tihar DG to look into it, adds will visit jail if issues unresolved

- Arnabjit Sur

NEW DELHI: Noting the flurry of allegations raised by several students and activists placed under judicial custody in connection with their alleged role in purportedly planning and instigating the north-east Delhi riots, regarding the “abysmal living conditions” inside jail, a Delhi court on Tuesday directed the DG (Prisons) to depute an official to look into the grievances failing which the judge said he would himself go for a physical inspection.

During the hearing of the “main conspiracy” case before Additional Sessions Judge Amitabh Rawat, seven out of the 15 accused said they have not been given warm clothes, though it is permitted under the prison rules, and the prison authorities said they need a court order for it.

Advocate Mehmood Pracha, appearing for Gulfisha Khatoon, said an application for supply of winter clothes had to be filed since the jail authorities said they won't permit it unless there was court's direction to this. When the court allowed the application, advocate Adit Pujari, appearing for JNU students Devangana Kalita and Natasha Narwal, requested the order to be extended for all the accused as everyone was facing the same problem.