NHRC issues notice in sexual assault case of woman prisoner in Delhi's Tihar jail
Jan 02, 2023
New Delhi [India], January 2 : National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has issued notice to the Chief Secretary, Delhi Government and the Director General of Prisons, Delhi seeking a detailed report of a sexual assault case of a 22-year-old prisoner in Delhi's Tihar Jail. The commission has sought the report in 4 weeks.
The commission stated that they had taken suo motu cognizance of media reports, carried out on December 30, 2022, saying that a 22-year-old prisoner was allegedly sexually assaulted by fellow inmates in Delhi's Tihar Jail. Reportedly, the prisoner is under medical treatment.
The Commission has observed that the contents of the media reports, if true, amount to a violation of rights related to the life and dignity of the victim prisoner.
Accordingly, besides deciding to send its own team for an on-the-spot enquiry into the matter, it has issued notice to the Chief Secretary, Government of NCT of Delhi and the Director General of Prisons, Government of NCT of Delhi calling for a detailed report within 4 weeks.
"The reports should include the present health status of the victim prisoner, action taken against the erring officers and the accused fellow inmates as well as the steps taken and proposed to be taken to ensure that such incidents do not recur in the future," stated NHRC.
The Commission has further stated that it has issued several guidelines, advisories and recommendations in the past to improve many aspects of prison administration but it appears that there is no perceptible change in the living conditions of the inmates in the Tihar jail since intermittently, incidents of various types of their human rights violations including harassment, torture and sexual abuse are being reported and complained about.
"The State, being the custodian of the inmates in the jails, is responsible for their safety and security as they are also entitled to human rights including the right to dignity guaranteed under the Constitution," NHRC stated.
