Mumbai: Undertrials allowed to call up Nepal kin reeling under quake

Sources revealed that jail authorities have made special arrangements for under-trials of Nepalese origin to call up their families.

Indralal Khatri, a native of Nepal and an accused in the Pakmodia street firing case, was struggling to get information about his family in Nepal, reeling under a massive earthquake and several aftershocks.

Khatri is accused of firing at the driver of Iqbal Kaskar, brother of gangster Dawood Ibrahim, in Pakmodia Street in 2011.

The special MCOCA court, which is hearing his case, on Friday gave him permission to call up his family members and enquire after their wellbeing, in the wake of the strong tremors that have rocked the Himalayan nation after the earthquake.

Khatri had also been allowed to call home after the earthquake first hit Nepal on April 25.

On Friday, when Khatri was produced before the MCOCA court for his trial, he was asked if he had been able to connect with his family members.

“I heard there have been subsequent tremors in Nepal, of 7.4 magnitude. But I do not know how my family is,” Khatri said.

The court immediately ordered the police escorts to allow Khatri to make calls to Nepal and check on his relatives.

Sources revealed that jail authorities have made special arrangements for under-trials of Nepalese origin to call up their families.

The authorities wrote to the courts where their cases are being heard, seeking permission to allow them to contact their families.