Ranchi, Jun 8 The Jharkhand High Court on Monday directed the state government to submit the medical board report of a woman inmate of Birsa Munda Central Jail who was allegedly sexually exploited by the jail superintendent.
A division bench comprising Chief Justice MS Sonak and Justice Rajesh Shankar was hearing a petition initiated by the court on reports that the inmate was sexually exploited in custody and subsequently became pregnant.
The bench also directed the Ranchi judicial commissioner to place before it the report of the inquiry conducted by a judicial magistrate on the court's directions.
The state government filed an affidavit on behalf of the DGP and the Inspector General (Prisons), which the court found unsatisfactory.
The bench observed that it appeared the police were trying to dilute the matter and questioned why the medical report of the inmate had not yet been produced.
The case will again be heard on June 17.
The PIL was registered suo motu by the high court on May 22, when it was on summer vacation.
The proceedings were initiated after Leader of Opposition Babulal Marandi wrote to the Chief Justice, drawing attention to media reports alleging that the woman inmate had been sexually exploited by the jail superintendent.
The state government had earlier informed the court that a three-member committee of senior police officers had been constituted to inquire into the allegations.
Simultaneously, following orders of the high court, a team of the District Legal Services Authority led by judicial magistrate Shruti Soren has also been entrusted to conduct an independent inquiry.
