CHENNAI: Days after the CB-CID booked 14 prison department officials including Deputy Inspector General (Prisons) of Vellore, R Rajalakshmi for alleged exploitation of convicted prisoners by making them do household chores at residences of prison officials, the DIG has been transferred and placed in compulsory wait at the state prison headquarters.
Additional Superintendent of Prisons, A Abdul Rahman who was also booked by the CB-CID has been transferred from Vellore to Puzhal prison.
CB-CID booked a case against the prison officials under several sections including 127 (8) (wrongful confinement), and 146 (unlawful labour) of BNS among others after Madras High Court directions based on a judicial magistrate’s report.
Apart from making a life convict do household chores, the prison authorities had also allegedly beaten up and tortured an inmate, S Sivakumar, accusing him of stealing Rs 4.5 lakh cash and other valuables from the Deputy Inspector General’s residence. Sivakumar was also allegedly kept in solitary confinement for over three months, sources said.
“A shock to our conscience,” noted the Madras High Court while reprimanding the jail authorities for exploiting the convicted prisoners for domestic chores in their residences and directed the Director General of Prisons to initiate disciplinary actions against the erring officials.