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‘Disturbing facts’: Delhi HC orders CBI probe into Tihar extortion syndicate
The Delhi high court sought the judge’s report last September after a man, who was in Tihar jail for two months in a cheating case, sought an independent probe
NEW DELHI: The Delhi high court on Friday ordered the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to conduct a preliminary enquiry into an extortion syndicate operating at Tihar jail after a report by an inspecting judge revealed “very disturbing and startling facts”.
The bench of chief justice DK Upadhyay and justice Tushar Rao Gedela also ordered the Delhi government to conduct an administrative enquiry into administrative and supervisory lapses on part of the jail officials and identify the jail officers who played a role.
The report submitted to the court on April 7 indicted jail officials, spotlighted irregularities and illegalities in the functioning of Tihar prisons and revealed how even the jail’s landline number was being misused by vested interests for their nefarious activities.
The inspecting judge, who drew up the report, had based the findings on examination of inmates, jail officials and certain other individuals, as well as based on the analysis of call data records between individuals from inside and outside jail.
“After opening the sealed cover we have perused the report by the inspecting judge, where very disturbing and startling facts have been revealed pointing out not only certain irregularities, illegalities in the function of Tihar Jail, but also issues touching upon criminal activities going on there,” the high court’s order noted.
It ordered CBI to probe the alleged extortion racket being run by some prisoners in connivance with Tihar jail officials to provide certain facilities to inmates inside jail premises.
The high court had called for the report to be submitted in sealed cover from a judge on September 26, 2024 following a petition by Mohit Kumar Goyal, who was arrested in a cheating case and spent two months in jail before being granted bail. Goyal alleged that there was an extortion racket operating inside one of India’s most-heavily guarded prisons and sought orders to constitute an independent agency.
“Having regards to the contents of the reports and the issues flagged therein which are based on an inquiry conducted by the inspecting judge, we propose to take two actions in the matter. For thoroughly conducting an inquiry into the matters as reported by the inspecting judge in his report, since the report touches upon allegations leading to criminal activities we deem it appropriate to require the CBI to conduct a preliminary enquiry (PE) into the matter,” the order said.
“Apart from PE, we also deem it appropriate to direct Principal Secretary, Home, GNCTD to conduct an administrative enquiry to find out officers/officials, authorities responsible for such mis-happenings and administrative lapses going on in the jail.”
CBI and Delhi government’s principal secretary (Home) have been told to submit their reports by August 4.
To be sure, this is not the first case of extortion inside Tihar Jail being probed by CBI.
In July last year, CBI told the high court that it has registered a PE on similar allegations of an extortion racket inside the jail. This submission came in response to a petition filed by alleged conman Sukesh Chandrashekhar who accused jail officials of extorting money from him and harassing him. CBI told a bench of justice Saurabh Banerjee on March 19 that its investigations in this case were still incomplete. This case is listed for hearing on July 29.
