Delhi High Court transfers probe into death of Tihar inmate Ankit Gujjar to CBI

Justice Mukta Gupta directed that the case file be sent from the Delhi Police to the CBI and sought a status report from the Central agency before the next date of hearing on October 28.

Delhi High Court. File

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday, September 7, 2021 transferred the probe into the death of gangster Ankit Gujjar , inside the Tihar jail last month, to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). 

The 29-year-old gangster was found dead and two others were injured inside his cell in Tihar jail on August 4. 

Justice Mukta Gupta directed the CBI to submit a status report, after carrying out investigation before the next date of hearing on October 28.  "From injuries sustained by Gujjar, it is evident that deceased was brutally beaten and left unattended by the jail doctor and nursing staff," the High Court remarked.  "It is unfathomable that when the jail doctor on duty visited at the midnight, he did not see the multiple injuries on Ankit," the Hgh Court said. 

"A perusal of the post-mortem report of the deceased Ankit belies the version of the Deputy Superintendent, Narender Meena and other staff that a scuffle took place in which both Narender Meena and Ankit received injuries," it said.  "Not only did Narender Meena and others assaulted the deceased mercilessly, the jail doctor on duty also failed to perform his duty when he examined Ankit at 1.00 am in night and administered the injection, as he neither informed the senior officers of the condition of Ankit nor referred Ankit to the Hospital," Justice Gupta remarked.

'Victim could have been saved'

"Further,  in case proper medical treatment was provided to him, his life could have been saved. Thus an investigation not only as to who all committed the offence of brutally beating the deceased to death, but the role of jail doctors in not providing proper treatment at the right time is also required to be ascertained by a proper inquiry," the court ordered.

 It said that this case also calls for immediate remedial actions by the State and Director General, Prisons so that unscrupulous officers at the jail did not take advantage of knowledge of the non-working of the CCTVs to get away with any illegal act/offences. 

The High Court called for a status report from the Director General( Prisons) indicating the measures taken to streamline the system as regards the CCTV cameras at the jail. 

The family has alleged that Gujjar was being harassed by the jail officials as he was "unable to meet their regularly increasing demands for money" and was murdered "as a part of pre-planned conspiracy".  "It is evident that in case the allegations made by the petitioners are correct, it is a very serious offence which requires in depth investigation to unearth the manner in which alleged extortion is carried out in the prison," the High Court said.