Eight undertrials never let out: DGP; cases weak, no need to flee: Lawyers

NEW DELHI: Madhya Pradesh DGP Rishi Shukla has said that the eight undertrials, reportedly killed after they fled, used to appear in different courts countrywide via video-conferencing, as cops feared that they would try to escape if transported for physical appearances. After the 2013 Khandwa jail break, the MP administration had decided not to move the Simi undertrials for security reasons.

“They used to appear through video-conferencing regularly. The jail break appears to be meticulously planned. We are still investigating the sequence of events,” Shukla told ET over phone. Shukla’s comments came on a day the NHRC issued notices to the MP government, DG prison and him, seeking details of the encounter, within six weeks.



The counsel for the undertrials Parvez Alam, however, expressed doubts over the police claims. He told ET the cases against them were very weak. “I want to know why police has not obtained CCTV footage at the prison. It will make things clear whether they fled or were forced to flee. And if there was a person to help them escape and could arrange for new clothes, shoes, why could he not arrange a vehicle?” Alam added that there was no need for the undertrials to flee as they would have been released by the court. “For the past six years, the cases haven’t concluded. The police could not produce oral or documentary evidences or witnesses to speed up the trials,” said Alam, who has been appearing for seven out of the eight undertrials in different cases.

“The families of the deceased have come to me and are weeping inconsolably for justice. We will move the MP High Court.”