Inmate's killing: Court pulls up jail authorities

New Delhi, May 12 (IANS) Concerned over an undertrial's killing in the Rohini Jail premises, a court here said the "possibility of this being a cover-up to save jail administration officers guilty of culpable negligence cannot be ruled out".

"It is a serious matter that undertrials can have free access to any place in the complex without any inhibition in the manner in which it has happened," Additional Sessions Judge Kamini Lau said.

The court Friday sought a detailed report from the jail authorities regarding the incident. The order was released Monday.

The court remark came after it was informed about the death of witness Rajvinder Singh, also an undertrial and who was killed by inmates.

On April 25, accused Manpreet Singh along with two other inmates assaulted their fellow prisoner Rajvinder, lodged in a different ward of Rohini Jail.

Rajvinder was a witness in a criminal case against Manpreet.

According to jail authorities, Rajvinder was attacked on his neck and other body parts with a "kattan" (a weapon) causing grievous injuries and was taken to hospital, where he was declared brought dead.

A case of attempt to murder was then registered against the three, including Manpreet.

The court pulled up the jail authorities for failing to prevent the incident and not informing it about it until the case came up for hearing 10 days later. The court heard it first time May 5.

The court asked: "How is it that undertrial prisoners housed in a different ward could have easily managed to sneak into a different ward duly armed with a 'kattan' without any inhibition, obstruction or anybody stopping them."

It said it is a serious matter requiring an independent probe.

The court observed the manner in which an action has been hurriedly initiated against comparatively junior officers of the rank of head warden and warden by suspending them, is something which gives me a lurking feeling that perhaps something is amiss.

"And therefore, the possibility of this being a cover-up to save the officers of the jail administration actually guilty of culpable negligence cannot be ruled out," the court said.