The Hindu : Undertrials object to nicknames

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Feb 26, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Tamil Nadu

Undertrials object to nicknames

By Our Staff Reporter

CHENNAI FEB. 25. A writ plea seeking to restrain the police and jail authorities from calling undertrials by nick names in a `derogatory sense' has been filed in the Madras High Court.

The petition, filed by an advocate, Daniel Mary, was admitted by the First Bench comprising the Chief Justice, B. Subhashan Reddy, and Justice K. Ravirajapandian today. The Bench also ordered notices, returnable in two weeks, to the Director-General of Police, Inspector-General of Prisons and the Superintendent of the Central Prison, Chennai.

According to the petition, filed on behalf of three undertrial prisoners lodged in the Central Prison here, police affixed a derogatory nickname to their original names even in the remand report. According to them, they were being referred to and called only by the nickname while in jail.

Stating that the practice `greatly affected their life and dignity', the petitioners claimed that in most cases the nickname had become permanent even after their release.

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