A Delhi court said that the threat to Aaftab Amin Poonawala, accused of murdering his live-in partner Shraddha Walkar, persists inside Tihar Jail, after noting that three of the five inmates identified as potential threats to him were still lodged in the same security ward.
The court then directed the jail authorities to take immediate steps to ensure his safety and consider shifting him to a separate ward or cell, away from the inmates concerned. The Tihar Jail authorities, in response to the undertrial’s allegations, submitted a report before court detailing the security arrangements made for Poonawala. Taking note of his submissions, the court sought a fresh status report from the superintendent of Central Jail No.
The court of additional sessions judge Hargurvarinder Singh Jaggi of Saket courts, through an order passed on November 6, sought a fresh report from the jail authorities, along with an explanation on why only two of the five inmates were shifted despite its earlier directions. The report has been sought by the next date of hearing on November 17.
“In short, the threat to the accused/UTP remains,” the court said. The jail authorities told the court that an inquiry found no threats being made against Poonawala. They, however, said that some inmates who were creating a nuisance in the ward over trivial issues were shifted to other wards. He told the court that only two of the five inmates were moved, while three continued to remain in the security ward. 4, asking him to “explain the discrepancy and report on the steps taken to address Poonawala’s concerns”.
The court’s directions follow an earlier order , issued after Poonawala complained that some inmates threatened to slash his face with improvised weapons, including sua (needle), and cause him bodily harm. He named five inmates before the court. Poonawala, who appeared before the court through video-conferencing, agreed with some of the security arrangements but disputed the jail administration’s account of the inmates being shifted.
