Preserve CCTV footage, order HC in murder of gangster in Tihar jail

Gujjar (29), dubbed as one of the most wanted criminals in Uttar Pradesh with multiple counts of homicide and robbery, was found dead inside his cell in Tihar Jail on August 4.

The Delhi high court on Wednesday ordered preservation of CCTV footage while also seeking a status report from the city police and jail authorities on a plea seeking CBI probe in the alleged murder of an inmate, Ankit Gujjar, in Tihar Jail earlier this month.

Justice Mukta Gupta issued a notice to the Delhi Police, the jail authority, the Centre and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on the petition by Gujjar’s family members and ordered preserving the CCTV footage before, after, and of the incident. (HT File)

Gujjar (29), dubbed as one of the most wanted criminals in Uttar Pradesh with multiple counts of homicide and robbery, was found dead inside his cell in Tihar Jail on August 4.

Justice Mukta Gupta issued a notice to the Delhi Police, the jail authority, the Centre and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on the petition by Gujjar’s family members and ordered preserving the CCTV footage before, after, and of the incident.

The petition, filed through advocate Mehmood Pracha, has alleged that Gujjar was being harassed by the jail officials as he was “unable to meet their regularly increasing demands for money” and was murdered “as a part of pre-planned conspiracy”.

It is said that Gujjar “faced much more brutality” at the hands of a jail official who “directed his subordinates to use all their might to finish him and make an example out of him for other inmates”.

“The brutality meted out to the deceased as evidenced from the photographs of his corpse, coupled with the fact that he was left to die in a solitary cell without any medical attention whatsoever, renders to the present case a colour of the rarest of rare category,” said the petition.

The petition further says that the jail authorities in Tihar are operating an “organised extortion syndicate” and the police was trying to manipulate the investigation in order to save and shield the culprits.

The petition states that although an FIR for commission of offences of murder was registered pursuant to the directions of a magisterial court, “a free and fair investigation by a neutral investigation agency would inevitably lead to invocation of not just further provisions under the Penal Code but also under special laws such as the MCOCA (Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act), Prevention of Corruption Act and Prevention of Money Laundering Act”.

The plea has also sought round the clock security for the family members. The matter will be next heard on September 2.