PANJIM: The High Court of Bombay at Goa on Wednesday asked the Principal District and Sessions Judge, Panjim, to inquire into the legality of the solitary confinement of 18 prisoners at the Central jail, Colvale.
While hearing petition filed by six Colvale inmates alleging bullying by jail officials, it was brought to the notice that 18 prisoners were put into solitary confinement since June.
Of these, 15 have now been moved out while three prisoners, Vikat Bhagat, Vijay Karbotkar and Tarzan Parsekar are still under solitary confinement.
The Principal District and Sessions Judge will inquire into whether imposition of solitary confinement was legal or without following the rules.
It may be recollected that trouble broke out in the Colvale jail following a brawl between between life convict Vijay Karbotkar and Tarzan Parsekar, an undertrial on May 30. The IG (Prisons) along with the police later raided the cells and seized over 30 mobile phones and other communication equipment, including Bluetooth speakers from prisoners.
After this, many convicts were kept in solitary confinement. Thereafter, six inmates approached the court, alleging bullying and mistreatment by jail officials.
During the last hearing, the High Court had directed the jail administration to submit the medical examination reports of injured as well as other jail inmates during a scuffle in the jail on May 30. The court has now completed the hearing and reserved its order.
Meanwhile, the government assured the Court that the three-member Goa Human Rights Commission (GHRC) will be reconstituted within next three months.
The GHRC has become non-functional after the tenure of the chairmanand two members ended in February this year.
There are over 450 complaints mostly human rights violations, pending with the Commission.
