Madras High Court: Jail Officials' Crimes Exceed Those of Inmates
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Chennai, Jan 8 (NationPress) The Madras High Court has remarked that the offenses perpetrated by jail officials are considerably more egregious than those committed by convicts incarcerated in correctional facilities.
A Division Bench consisting of Justice S.M. Subramaniam and Justice Jothiraman made this observation while addressing a petition that accused prison authorities of misappropriating funds.
The petitioner, Gokila, claimed that her spouse, Murugaiyan, who is serving time in Puzhal Central Prison, had not received his wages for a duration of four months.
She mentioned that Murugaiyan works as a school assistant in the prison, earning Rs. 2,850 monthly, yet his payments were unjustly withheld.
Moreover, she alleged that numerous other inmates were also deprived of their rightful wages, pointing to a systemic issue of fund misappropriation by prison officials.
The court expressed significant concern over findings from an investigation carried out by the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC). This investigation unearthed that over 36.76 lakh metres of bandages manufactured by inmates were not provided to government hospitals, resulting in the embezzlement of Rs. 4 crore in taxpayer money.
Additionally, the DVAC investigation revealed that Rs. 1.64 crore worth of stationery had also been misappropriated by prison officials.
The Bench remarked that such acts of corruption are profoundly troubling, particularly as they involve the misuse of government resources intended for public benefit.
The High Court has instructed the state government, the Director General of Prisons, and the DVAC to hasten the investigation.
It mandated the suspension of implicated officials, if required, to guarantee an impartial and thorough inquiry.
Furthermore, the court has ordered disciplinary measures against the guilty officials under the Tamil Nadu Civil Services Rules.
The court also commanded that any outstanding wages owed to inmates for their labor be settled within four weeks.
Additional Advocate General (AAG) J. Ravindran presented a status report to the court, indicating that the state had permitted the DVAC to conduct a preliminary investigation into the allegations.
The AAG informed the court that criminal cases had been initiated against three officials for fund misappropriation and forgery.
He also reported that departmental action had commenced against several officials, including the former Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Prisons in Madurai, for failing to supervise their subordinates.
The AAG added that searches were performed at the locations of suppliers providing raw materials to the prisons.
After hearing the submissions, the Division Bench concluded the petition and instructed the state to submit a compliance report regarding the court’s orders.
