District and Sessions Judge P. K. Bahri today ordered the imposition of fetters round the clock on international fugitives Charles Sobhraj and David Hall following apprehensions by the officials of the Tihar Jail that they were making fresh attempts to escape from prison.
Passing orders on a petition by Tihar Jail Superintendent Rajesh Somal, Mr Bahri said he found it a fit case for fettering the prisoners keeping in view the allegations which had not been controverted by the accused.
Mr Bahri said it was clear that Sobhraj’s advocate V. K. Ohri tried to smuggle in certain written material, including a questionnaire which if answered could have worked out to be an escape plan.
Mr Bahri said Sobhraj’s associate in the sensational Tihar break case had also been found in possession of similar written papers which were highly incriminating.
The judge observed that since the two prisoners had already managed to escape from the jail, the possibility of their making another attempt could not be “overruled.”
Mr Bahri cited Supreme Court judgement in the Sunil Batra case to substantiate his order and said the court had laid down the using of irons on prisoners if credible information existed that they were planning an escape. Further jail superintendent Somal himself was empowered under the Punjab Jail Manual to put fetters.
{{/usCountry}}Mr Bahri cited Supreme Court judgement in the Sunil Batra case to substantiate his order and said the court had laid down the using of irons on prisoners if credible information existed that they were planning an escape. Further jail superintendent Somal himself was empowered under the Punjab Jail Manual to put fetters.
{{/usCountry}}Neither Sobhraj nor Hall had filed replies to the petition seeking the imposition of fetters on them.