A division bench of the Gujarat High Court comprising Chief Justice K S Radhakrishnan and Justice Akil Kureshi on Monday directed Ahmedabad Additional Sessions Judge P B Desai to submit a report into alleged torture of inmates at the Sabarmati Central Jail,where prisoners clashed with staff last Friday. Inspector General of Police (Prisons) Keshav Kumar,in an affidavit,denied any severe beating or torture. He submitted that he had recorded the statements of two prisoners and both denied they were ever beaten up by anybody. He also denied allegations that some inmates were not given medical treatment. Although he said no complaint was ever received from any of the inmates regarding torture,family members of the July 26 Ahmedabad serial bomb blasts accused lodged in the jail made allegations against the jail staff. They said many of the blast accused suffered fractures due to severe beating by the police. Separately,lawyers of the blasts accused filed a petition before the designated Metropolitan Court to get details of Fridays incident. Following the petition,the court of designated Metropolitan Magistrate G M Patel asked the jail authorities to submit a report on the injuries sustained by the blast accused following the incident and the treatment they were provided in two days. Undertrials had indulged in alleged rioting on Friday following which jail authorities had resorted to lathicharge. A number of jail staff and undertrials were injured in the incident. A police complaint was lodged against 56 inmates,including six blast accused,under rioting and allied charges. After rumours spread that one of the blast accused was killed and two others were critically injured,relatives and lawyers of the blast accused on Sunday sought permission to meet the prisoners. On being denied permission,a group of defence lawyers approached the court. Family members and relatives were allowed to meet the blast accused on Monday. After the meeting,they alleged that many of them had suffered head injuries and fractures in legs and hands. They alleged that the jail staff began assaulting the accused as they were offering Friday prayers,with any provocation. They alleged that the authorities then cooked up the riot story. Shazia,wife of key accused Sajid Mansuri,alleged that Sajid was performing prayers when the jail staff began hitting him on head and legs. My husband has suffered serious injuries on the back of his head and both the legs are fractured, she said. Accused Arif Kagdis wife Farzana alleged that Arifs hands were fractured. One of his rib bones is also fractured and he cant sit and walk, she alleged.
