The Delhi government on Wednesday informed the Delhi High Court that it has suspended nine Tihar Jail officials and initiated disciplinary proceedings against them over their alleged involvement in an extortion racket in connivance with jail inmates. The submission came before the High Court after the bench sought details from the Delhi government’s Home Department on the action it had taken following the court’s earlier directions to conduct an enquiry into administrative lapses.

On Monday, the High Court directed the CBI to lodge an FIR and investigate illegal and corrupt activities inside the city’s jail involving authorities and inmates. This came after the CBI submitted a preliminary enquiry report before the court, indicating the involvement of inmates and jail officials in various kinds of illegal and corrupt activities.

The government on Wednesday also stated that it will file a report within two months on the matter. A bench consisting of Chief Justice D.K. Upadhyay and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela granted eight weeks to the government to file this status report.

CBI Takes Charge

Responding to a petition alleging that inmates and jail authorities were involved in irregularities and misconduct to extract illegal money, the High Court on May 2 directed the CBI to carry out a preliminary enquiry. It also asked the Home Department to conduct a separate investigation into other administrative lapses. Based on the petition filed last September, the High Court had directed the inspecting judge of Tihar Jail to examine the evidence as well as the allegations in the petition and file his report.

The court, upon receiving the report by the inspecting judge, submitted in a sealed cover, recorded “very disturbing and startling facts… pointing not only to certain irregularities and illegalities in the functioning of the jail, but also to issues touching upon even criminal activities going on there.”

The same report also stated that the landline number in the jail was being misused by vested interests for promoting nefarious activities.