The family of activist Bairi Naresh, who was lodged in Cherlapally Central Prison after being arrested in a criminal case of making derogatory comments on Lord Ayyappa, filed a writ petition in Telangana High Court alleging that he was put in a solitary cell.
Advocate D. Suresh Kumar, appearing for Naresh’s wife G. Sujatha who filed the plea that came up for hearing before Justice B. Vijaysen Reddy, said that it was illegal to lodge Naresh in solitary cell. He was an under-trial prisoner and only those persons who were awarded rigorous imprisonment were supposed to be subjected to solitary confinement, Mr. Kumar contended.
This amounted to gross violation of human and fundamental rights, he told the bench. During the past nearly 20 days of his custody, Mr. Naresh was put in the solitary cell and was allowed outside only when there were visitors and for legal interviews, the lawyer said.
Mr. Kumar told the bench that no doctor had visited Mr. Naresh and that no prison officer too examined him till now. The advocate requested the judge to pass an order shifting his client to another ward in the prison where under-trial prisoners were lodged.
Government Pleader Samala Ravinder informed the court that the system of solitary confinement and cells was done away with in the State prisons long ago. The GP said the authorities must have taken precautions to ensure Mr. Naresh was not attacked by inmates of the prison in the backdrop of the controversy over his comments.
After hearing both the contentions, the judge directed petitioner’s advocate D. Suresh Kumar to personally visit the prison and ascertain facts about the solitary confinement of Mr. Naresh. The matter was posted after a week for next hearing.
COMMents
SHARE