By TwoCircles.net staff reporter,
Mumbai: The Maharashtra State Commission for Minorities will inquire into the alleged torture of the blasts convicts in the Arthur Road Jail. This was announced by the Chairman of the Commission Naseem Siddiqui.
Siddiqi said that the Commission will recommend the state government to take action against the guilty officials if the allegations were found true.
He informed that to inquire into the matter the Commission will visit the Arthur Road Jail in Mumbai, on 4th July 2008. The panel will also visit the injured prisoners who are at present undergoing treatment at the Arthur Road hospital.
He said that a group of relatives of those who have been convicted for Mumbai local train blast, Malegaon blast and illegal possession of arms and ammunitions, met him and gave him a written complaint.
In the complaint they have alleged that during the transfer of the convicts into the jails of Ratnagiri, Nagpur and Kolhapur, they were brutally beaten when they protested against the transfer. So much so that four of them were seriously injured and other two got minor injuries.
Siddiqui also pointed out that immediately after meeting with the relatives of the convicts; he called up the Jail Superintendent Swati Sathe. The Jail Superintendent underplayed the issue of torture of the convicts but admitted that there happened a minor incident of argument between the convicts and the jail officials.
The minority panel chief also said that he has informed the Jail Superintendent about the scheduled visit to the jail by the commission on 4th July 2008.
He asked the Jail Superintendent not to transfer the convicts who are at present undergoing treatment at the Arthur Road hospital, at least before the commission’s visit to the hospital as they are the only witness of the case of alleged beating of the prisoners.