The Hindu : SC notice on caging of accused

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Feb 18, 2003

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SC notice on caging of accused

By Our Legal Correspondent

NEW DELHI Feb. 17. Taking a serious view of a photograph published in The Hindu on transporting of accused in a cage and brought to court's attention in a petition, the Supreme Court today ordered notice to the Punjab Government for a direction to initiate action against the policemen responsible for the incident.

The notice was issued by a Bench comprising Justice Ruma Pal and Justice B.N. Srikrishna on a petition from the advocate, M.P. Shobhan, after hearing his counsel, P.V. Dinesh, who narrated the plight of the accused confined to a cage.

The petitioner submitted that The Hindu published a photograph on December 27 last in which four accused persons were taken to jail from court by the Punjab police in an iron cage as if they were animals.

He said this inhuman act was shocking to the conscience of every citizen and was a violation of the constitutional guarantee under Article 21.

He pointed out that the apex court in a number of cases had held that the prisoners/accused should be treated with dignity and honour and all civil and political rights available to the other persons were also available to them.

The petitioner urged the court to take a serious note of the incident and issue suitable directions to the Punjab Government to take appropriate action against the police personnel responsible for this and to ensure that the fundamental rights of the accused were protected.

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