Mumbai: Thirty accused who were arrested for their alleged involvement in the 2006 Mumbai and Malegaon serial blasts and the Aurangabad arms haul were badly beaten up at the Arthur Road Jail by prison staff in June this year, a judicial inquiry instituted by the Bombay High Court has found.

The court had ordered principal judge TV Nalawade to look into the allegations of torture levelled by the accused. His report, a copy of which is with DNA, concludes that jail officials used "force for extraneous purpose" against the accused.

The report also comes down heavily on the prison doctors for not giving the required medical aid to those who had suffered deep bruises and fractures.

Saeed Shaikh, son of Mumbai train blasts accused Mohammed Shaikh, had filed an application in the high court alleging that his father had been mercilessly beaten up by jail staff.

In his petition, Shaikh said at least 30 accused were beaten up on June 28 with batons, sticks and stones. Shaikh also alleged that the accused were forcibly transferred out of the jail without a court order. The petition claimed that the accused were shifted out on Saturday, Sunday, and public holidays against the law.

In the course of the inquiry, which lasted four months, judge Nalawade questioned all the accused and the officials concerned. He even visited the jail.

"The truth came out only because a judicial inquiry without external influence was carried out," said PA Sebastian, defence advocate and senior high court counsel.

The jail authorities said the prisoners were beaten up only after they started shouting anti-India slogans when they were moved to a special cell. They also claimed that the prisoners hurled bricks and stones. Swati Sathe, senior superintendent of the jail, refused to comment on the report. Deputy inspector-general of police (prisons) Rajnish Seth said he had not seen the report.
Source : DNA