Ajmer SP told to ensure security for ailing inmates

AJMER: Taking up the issue of treatment of sick undertrial prisoners, the designated anti-corruption court on Saturday directed Ajmer SP to ensure availability of adequate security guards while taking prisoners to hospital. It also asked the district magistrate to personally look into the healthcare system of the jail. The court also said that if any untoward incident happened with any of the jail inmates for want of treatment, then both, the district magistrate and the SP will be held personally responsible.
Special judge Keshav Kumar Kaushik on the report of jail superintendent said in his order, "The conduct of SP shows that he is either not aware of the alarming situation the undertrials are facing for want of treatment or he is ignoring the requirement". The court observed that undertrials who are in need of treatment are not taken tohospital because of lack ofguards. The order came when an undertrial lodged a contempt petition in the court stating that even after the orders of the court he was not provided treatment of hernia and his life was in danger. The court took serious note of the issue and directed the authorities for compliance.
The petitioner Suresh Soni was arrested in a corruption case and was denied bail by the anti-corruption court and also by the high court. Following this, he filed an application in the court stating that he was an undertrial and suffering from hernia and was in need of special medical treatment. "On October 1, the court directed the jail authorities to provide treatment to the untertrial at JLN hospital in Ajmer," said Jignesh Soni, advocate of the accused. Again, on October 15, the undertial moved a contempt application that the orders of the court were not complied with and he was still not getting proper treatment which could cost him his life. "The court directed the jail superintendent Vasudev to be personally present in the court and state the reason," added advocate Soni. The jail superintendent stated in the court that because of lack of guards, it was not possible to take prisoners to the hospital. He also produced a letter written to the Ajmer SP to provide security guards to carry prisoners to hospital.
Showing concern , the court observed that it is mandatory to provide treatment to sick prisoners and said that police will arrange for security guards to take prisoners to hospital and the district magistrate would monitor the process. Both the officials will have to report the implementation on the next date of the court, the ruling said.
The issue of providing security to prisoners at present gains importance in the wake of recent escape of notorious criminal Anandpal Singh and his two accomplices while returning to Ajmer jail. after attending the court date in Nagaur. "This is a historic decision of the court as the prisoners have a fundamental right to get treatment," said Pritam Singh Soni, senior advocate. He added that a prisoner cannot be deprived of treatment because police do not have appropriate security measures.