Two inmates of Tihar jail, one serving a life sentence and another facing trial in a murder case, on Tuesday claimed before a Delhi court that they were allegedly being pressured by prison officials to kill sacked officials of the Organising Committee of the Delhi Commonwealth Games currently lodged in the same jail.
These officials are facing corruption charges in connection with the conduct of the CWG. T.S. Darbari, M. Jayachandran and Sanjay Mohindroo are the three former CWG officials currently in Tihar jail after the CBI registered various corruption cases against them.
The Tihar jail administration, however, claimed the petitioners were making such claims to embarrass the administration as the latter had put them in separate cells to prevent them from allegedly indulging in nefarious activities within the jail premises.
Filing two separate applications, both jointly signed by them, Amit, a convict serving a life term in a murder case, and Nishant, an undertrial facing murder charges, in the court of Tis Hazari chief metropolitan magistrate Vinod Yadav, the petitioners claimed Tihar jail officials provided them with a country-made pistol and a knife to eliminate two of the three CWG officials in judicial custody. However, they did not name the two officials whom they allege the prison officials wanted them to kill.
They also claimed that though the pistol was taken back by the prison officials, a knife was recovered from their barracks. They had argued that they were shifted from the wards where they were lodged to the high-security wards where the CWG officials were kept in judicial custody. The petitioners also alleged that Amit had been transferred to a separate cell from Nishant and was being threatened by Tihar prison officials.
In a separate application, Amit’s mother, Munni Devi, also alleged that her son had been separated from his brother (also serving a life term in a murder case) to another ward and was being threatened by prison officials.
Hearing the petition, the CMM directed the station house officer (SHO) of Hari Nagar police station (Tihar jail falls under its jurisdiction) to file a detailed report in this regard by December 24, the next date of hearing.
Tihar jail officials, however, said the claims were just a way to get back at the prison administration for preventing them from carrying out their nefarious activities within the jail premises. “Amit, Pawan and Nishant had been lodged in jail number 4 and were involved in various cases, including attacks on prisoners. To stop their activities, they were put in separate cells of other jails. It was to take revenge for the same that they have made such claims,” said Tihar jail’s law officer and spokesperson, Sunil Gupta. He added that the jail administration had nothing to do with the accused in the CWG corruption cases.
Jail officials also revealed that a team of the local police, which had visited the jail on Tuesday evening following the court’s order, did not find any firearm in their cells. Officials said that apart from serving life terms, Amit and Pawan were also involved in other heinous cases, including those under the Arms Act and attempt to murder. Similarly, Nishant, facing trial in a murder case, was also facing prosecution in other criminal cases.
Jail officials also revealed that Darbari, Mohindroo and Jayachandran were lodged in jail No. 4, the same jail where the petitioners were earlier lodged. “They have now been shifted to other jails and separated from each other,” said an official.
Meanwhile, Justice Hima Kohli of the Delhi high court on Tuesday issued notice to the CBI asking it to file its reply by January 11 after hearing the bail pleas of Darbari and Jayachandran. Both former OC officials in their plea have alleged they are being victimised and there was no need to keep them in custody. Last month, a Delhi court had rejected the bail application of both officials, saying their action had tarnished the image of the country.