NEW DELHI: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has expressed serious concern over lack of safety and security of women prisoners following a recent incident of a prisoner “conceiving” in Tihar jail even after being separated from her under trial husband.

Ina preliminary inquiry into the incident, the commission 1s understood to have observed that the statement of the women prisoner, Sushma, that pregnancy was caused by her husband was “not supported by circumstances of the case.”

Besides advising the jail authorities 10 ensure safety and security of woman prisoners, the NHRC is also reported to have pursued with Lt. Governor of Delhi P.K. Dave the issue of shifting of the couple to an upside jail in a neighboring State, preferably Uttar Pradesh, so that they could give evidence without fear.

The commission sent its investigation team to probe into the incident following a telegram received from Manmohan, who alleged that jaul officials were responsible for pregnancy of his wife.

Assuring the NHRC that an immediate probe would be conducted into the incident and further steps is taken so that such instances are avoided in future, the jail authorities said women prisoners did1no come in contact with men and supervision of women’s ward was done by women. Officers.

The woman stated she had conceived from her husband while she was in ail, the report said, adding “it is not understandable as to how this could happen when the jail rulers do not allow any male to visit a female ward without a female official accompanying him, and there is no possibility of any woman prisoner meeting her husband outside the jail.”

Stating the woman prisoner had first said she was “injected for pregnancy” and then changed her statement to state that she had physical contacts with her husband in the park during weekly meeting arranged by the jail staff, the report suggested “the entirety of the situation creates serious doubt about statements made by Sushma and the jail staff.”

“There are reasons to believe that Sushma is making a made-up statement under some kind of threat or apprehension,” it said.

The statement recorded from the couple suggested that both of them are “under constant threat and under pressure to confess the pregnancy having been caused by the husband,” the reports said.

 

Article extracted from this publication >>  October 6, 1995