The case of attempt to commit suicide by an inmate of Bhondsi Jail in Gurugram has reached the Punjab and Haryana High Court on Monday. During the hearing on the petition filed by the prisoner’s wife Deepa, Justice Manoj Bajaj has ordered the government lawyer to submit a complete report regarding the matter.
Prisoner Surjit Kataria, who was serving a life sentence, tried to commit suicide in jail on December 1, after which the jail administration registered a case of attempted suicide against Kataria.
During the hearing, the petitioner’s lawyer Anirudh Singh Shera told the bench that extortion from the prisoners is going on in Bhondsi Jail. This is the reason why two prisoners have committed suicide in the past.
The Bench was told that the jail administration was demanding Rs 10 lakh from Surjit Kataria. He was tortured mentally and physically for not giving money. That is why Surjit Kataria tried to commit suicide but luckily he survived. In this regard, the complaint made to DGP of Haryana, but to no avail.
The Counsel further submitted that on the very next day of the incident, a case of attempt to commit suicide was registered against Surjit Kataria, while according to the rules, it is necessary to investigate such cases as to why the prisoner tried to commit suicide? How was his mental condition? But the case was registered without investigating these facts.
Also Read: CAA-NRC protests in Prayagraj: Allahabad HC quashes FIR, directs UP govt to reply within a month
The petitioner has demanded a probe by the CBI or higher officials into the entire matter. Haryana’s Additional Home Secretary, CBI, DGP Haryana, Police Commissioner of Gurugram and Bhondsi Jail Administration have been made respondents in the petition.