DR. M. IQBAL SIDDIQUI delves deep into the police brutality against certain Muslim inmates of Jaipur jail, reveals communal mindset of jail authorities and reports departmental action against them.
Rajasthan Muslim Forum, an alliance of leading Muslim bodies of Rajasthan, was informed on September 23 by the family members of the 13 jail inmates who have been behind the bars for their alleged involvement in the Jaipur blasts, that on September 21, the day of Eid-ul-Fitr, the inmates were not allowed to say Eid prayers along with other Muslim inmates, and beaten up by the jail employees and other prisoners, and the holy books in their cells were desecrated.
After receiving the complaint, a six-member delegation, comprising the Jamaat-e-Islami Hind’s State Chief, Er. Muhammad Salim, Mr. Abdul Lateef Arco, Mr. M Mahir Azad (Ex MLA), Mr. Imamuddeen, Mr. M Nazimuddeen and Mr. Naeemuddeen from Kota, called on the jail authorities and visited the prison to find out the facts.
The delegation met Mr. Omendra Bhardwaj, Director General of Prisons of the state. The DG informed the delegation, “We have also got this kind of complaint. We are taking it seriously and trying to find out the fact.”
The delegation requested the DG to let them meet some of the victims and find out the facts. The DG granted the request and instructed the jail superintendent to arrange a meeting of the delegation members with the victims.
The delegation members visited the jail. Superintendent of Jail Mrs. Preeta Bhargav made an arrangement for their meeting with three of the victims in her chamber. The victims, Munawwar Husain, Nazakat Ali and Dr. Taufeeq Qureshi, narrated the incident and showed raw scars on their bodies made by the beating. The delegation interrogated each of them separately.
According to them, on September 21, when they requested the jailor to allow them to pray with other prisoners on the holy occasion of Eid, the jailor bluntly denied them of their right. Usually, they were allowed out of their poorly ventilated cells from 12:00 in the noon till 3:00 o’clock, they said. That day, being Eid, they requested for some more time, which was also refused strongly. They asked the jailor to take their request to the higher authorities. Over this the jail authorities got annoyed and told them to get back to their cells. They returned to their cells and were locked up.
After 5:00 pm, when some of these inmates were praying Asr Namaz (the prayer before evening), about 5-6 policemen and 10-12 other prisoners led by the Jailor and the Deputy Jailor equipped with sticks and batons, opened the cells and dragged them out beating mercilessly. Some of them were dragged out exactly in the position of prayer. According to them, some of the assailants resorted to search their cells and threw the Holy Qur’ān and other religious books on the floor and desecrated them by trampling thereupon. The inmates requested the Jailor and the Deputy Jailer to stop the desecration of the holy books but they did not oblige and continued their aggression for some time.
The inmates informed the delegation that all these prisoners, around 13 in number, except two or three, were beaten up and the same thing happened to all of them. They also gave shocking information that after a week of Eid-ul Fitr, on October 9 last year, they were beaten up mercilessly, blindfolded and their bodies covered with blankets and they couldn’t know who the assailants were. According to them all this continued for 15-20 days. Moreover, they were forced to raise objectionable slogans against their faith and utter defaming words against Islam. They didn’t complain that time about it, because they were too much terrified, they said. In the presence of the delegation, two of the victims Munawwar Husain and Nazakat Ali wrote the above details to the DG Jails seeking justice and take strict action against the jail authorities.
Another serious fact that came out during the interrogation was that some of the jail officials and other people often called these inmates “Bomb Blast Waale” (people who have committed bomb blasts), while they have been still under trial and the court has not even framed any charges against them; this is objectionable. According to them, some of the prison officials and employees spread hatred about the victims among other prisoners. It clearly indicates the communal mindset of some of the jail officers. The victims expressed their concern about their security as their lives are constantly under threat. After the recent incident their safety and security are at stake, they said. They have also demanded in writing assurance of their safety and security.
The Rajasthan Muslim Forum held a press conference on the issue on September 26. The conference was addressed by Er. Muhammad Salim and Mr. Paiker Farooq, while Mr. Abdul Lateef Arco, Mr. Imamuddeen, Mr. M Nazimuddeen and mother of one of the victims, Mohammad Ilyas of Baran were also present.
By this investigation the Forum has reached the conclusion that the incident of beating of these prisoners had taken place and, the holy books had also been desecrated in the name of search.
This is a serious matter, especially the communal mindset and prejudiced and hostile behaviour of some of the jail officers and workers against these prisoners is a clear violation of human rights and jail rules and regulations.
On the same day when the DGP Jails was contacted, he mentioned that a departmental investigation committee has been formed under Inspector General of Police (Jails) Dr. Hemant Purohit. He also informed that the Jailor and Deputy Jailor have been transferred to other Jails in the state.
We also think that the action taken in this matter, i.e. transferring the jailor Ashok Gaur to Ajmer and deputy jailor Bhairon Singh to Udaipur shows that the jail authorities are not taking this matter seriously. Our demand is to suspend the jailor and the deputy jailor and a judicial probe of the incident be ordered.
We are of the opinion that this incident is just a glimpse of violation of human rights, anarchy and mismanagement in the jail, the actual situation is much more severe. If this is not contained in time, grave circumstances may occur any time. The Forum is also of the opinion that the condition in which these prisoners are kept is miserable and inhuman.
“The 10 accused from Kota, one from Baran and two from Jodhpur are under judicial custody and no charges have been framed against them till date,” said Mr. Paiker Farooq, a Rajasthan High Court lawyer. According to him it is the government’s duty to provide them with security and make arrangements for them so that they may offer prayers according to their faith.
On September 30, Mr. Abdul Hameed Qureshi, brother of one of the accused Dr. Ishaq Qureshi, a private medical practitioner, lodged an FIR against the jail authorities giving all details mentioned in this report.
On October 1, when Er. Muhammad Salim, State President JIH Rajasthan, contacted DG of Police (Jails) Mr. Omendra Bhardwaj, he was informed that a probe in the 21st September incident is being carried out, and assured that some outcome is expected soon. He also informed the JIH leader that medical examination of the victims has been got done by the jail authorities.
The DG Police (Jails) later informed the Forum that Jailor Ashok Gaur and a constable were suspended and the Deputy Jailor Bhairaon Singh was transferred elsewhere. A case under Sections 143, 323, 153-A and 295 of IPC was lodged by brother of one of the accused Dr. Ishaq Qureshi at Lal Kothi Police Station and SHO Amrendra Singh has started investigation.
Meanwhile, September 30 was the usual day for the visitors to meet their relatives in the jail. So the relatives of 12 inmates visited the central jail and applied as usual for the meeting with their relatives. This time they were not allowed to meet them as they had been allowed earlier. According to them, when they met the Jail Superintendent Mrs. Preeta Bhargav and requested to let them meet them as usual, she also behaved differently and bluntly refused to co-operate with them in this matter. When they asked if the jail rules have been changed for all or for them only, she got angry and refused any co-operation. Then they approached the DG of Police (Jails) Mr. Omendra Bhardwaj and requested him to let them meet their relatives as they used to meet earlier. After the intervention of DG they were allowed to meet.
The victims also informed the delegation that they were usually allowed out of their cells, within the jail premises, for three hours daily, but after the incident they are being treated roughly and deprived of their human rights as they are being kept confined in their cells round the clock. The relatives said that they were astonished over the now biased attitude of the jail superintendent.
The Rajasthan Muslim Forum is of the view that seeing the behaviour of the jail superintendent, fair investigation of the incident is not possible as long as she continues on this post, because since the very beginning she has not been co-operating in this matter. Moreover she is trying to protect the accused jail officers. Therefore the Forum has also demanded early removal of the jail superintendent so that just and fair investigation may be carried out.
Rajasthan Muslim Forum is looking forward for some satisfactory measures on the part of the government and the administration, or else the Forum will help the victims in seeking legal assistance and file criminal cases against the erring officials, besides mass awareness campaign will be launched regarding the incident in collaboration with human rights organisations.
If proper action is not taken in this regard, the Forum also intends to approach the Minister of Jail Affairs and the Home Minister and if required, the Chief Minister.
[The writer is State Media Secretary, Jamaat-E-Islami Hind, Rajasthan]