Bihar human rights panel team visits Bettiah jail over prisoner complaints

Shailendra Kumar Singh, registrar of human rights commission, Bihar, said about 100 prisoners lodged in the jail made allegations against then jail deputy superintendent Sanjay Gupta

Taking cognisance of a complaint by 100-odd prisoners to the human rights commission last year, a two-member team of the state human rights commission visited Bihar’s Bettiah jail this Wednesday.

Representational Image. (Shutterstock)

Shailendra Kumar Singh, registrar of human rights commission, Bihar, said about 100 prisoners lodged in the jail made allegations against then jail deputy superintendent Sanjay Gupta. “We took statements of at least ten prisoners and the report would be submitted shortly,” Singh said. The team comprised Singh and superintendent of police Wakil Ahmed.

In their complaint in May 2020, 100 prisoners accused then deputy superintendent and wardens of extorting money from the prisoners and allowing objectionable items inside by accepting bribes.

“Only a handful of complainants were in the jail as majority of them have already moved,” said one of the panel members.

Sanjay Gupta, then superintendent of jail, trashed the allegations against him. “Few inmates ganged up against me when I came down heavily on them after the complaints of extorting money from other prisoners came to my notice,” he said. Gupta was transferred to Danapur jail last month.