AA News
New Delhi
The Delhi High Court has ordered a CBI investigation into allegations involving jail officials in an extortion racket operating inside Tihar Jail. A bench headed by Chief Justice D.K. Upadhyaya has directed the Chief Secretary of the Home Department of the Delhi Government to conduct a departmental inquiry and identify the officials responsible.
The court has instructed both the CBI and the Chief Secretary of Delhi to submit their investigation reports by **August 11**. The next hearing in the matter is scheduled for that date. During the proceedings, the court reviewed a report by a judge who investigated Central Jail No. 8 and the semi-open jail, and found several disturbing revelations.
The report highlights serious irregularities in the functioning of Tihar Jail, pointing toward ongoing criminal activities. The High Court noted that the report indicates a dominance of criminal behavior within the jail’s functioning, necessitating a thorough probe. The court also directed the Director General of Prisons, Delhi, to cooperate with the Chief Secretary’s investigation.
The case was initiated after a former inmate filed a petition in the High Court, alleging that extortion is carried out inside Tihar Jail under the pretense of providing protection to inmates. The petition claims that not only are jail officials involved in this corrupt practice, but some prisoners are also part of the racket. It asserts that no extortion racket could operate without the complicity of jail officials, yet it continues unchecked.
