HC directs Govt to consider shifting convict

Chennai (PTI): The Madras High Court on Friday directed the Tamil Nadu Government to consider shifting a convict lodged in the Vellore prison to some other jail, preferably Puzhal near Chennai, following his allegations of solitary confinement and torture by prison officials.
A Division Bench of Justice D Murugesan and Justice V Periyakarupiah passed the interim order based on a report filed by the Principal District Judge (PDJ), Vellore, as directed by the Bench on March 25.
If the statement by Ganesan was true, all was not well with the prison officials, the bench observed.
Ganesan also alleged lack of food and charged officials with obtaining his signature forcefully on blank papers.
The Bench directed the officials not to lodge Ganesan in solitary confinement or obtain siatures on blank papers.
However, the Bench said, it was not making final opinion as to the allegations levied by Ganesan in his statement and said they would be considered at the time of passing orders, after the state gave its counter, and posted further hearing of the case to April 4.
The Bench had directed the PDJ to enquire Ganesan and submit a report after two advocates, one of them his counsel, filed petitions alleging he was tortured and they were denied permission to meet him.
Ganesan had earlier filed a case with the HC that his wife Nathiya was gangraped by four prison officials last year when she had come to meet him.
The missing girl was traced to Tirupur. She later said she was not married to Ganesan. The Government Doctor at Vellore also certified Nathiya was a virgin. Following this, the court came down on Ganesan for filing a "false case".
THE HINDU; Friday, March 28, 2008