IG (Prisoners) says Jagtar Singh Tara can’t be allowed to make Calls to family members

Chandigarh: In response to a query by Punjab and Haryana High Court judge Justice AB Chaudhari, the UT administration of Chandigarh said that the Inspector-General (Prisons) has declined to entertain Bhai Jagtar Singh Tara’s demand for using calling facilities in prison.

Sikh political prisoner Bhai Jagtar Singh Tara has sought the calling facility to remain in touch with his family. Such facility is provided to other prisoners.

Notably, the UT’s Additional Sessions judge had directed the Burail jail administration to provide calling facility to Bhai Jagtar Singh Tara, so that he could consult his family for the purpose of preparing his defence.

Union Territory Chandigarh counsel Gautam Dutt informed the Bench that the Inspector-General (Prisons) has advised not to provide calling facility to Bhai Jagtar Singh Tara.

Reply by Jail Superintendent Satish Kumar Jain was placed before the Bench by Dutt. It said the application submitted byBhai Jagtar Singh Tara was forwarded to the UT District and Sessions Judge with objections that the Tara was a high-security prisoner and he was not eligible for this facility.

The IG (Prisons) also held that Jagtar Singh Tara may not be allowed to meet other co-accused due to security reasons.

The Administration was seeking directions for quashing an order dated January 6 passed by UT Additional Sessions Judge “to the extent that accused Jagtar Singh Tara has been allowed to have consultation with his co-accused, separately or jointly”.

Union Territory Chandigarh counsel Gautam Dutt claimed the order further allowed Bhai Jagtar Tara to call his family on mobile phone to hold consultations with the members for “the purpose of preparing his defence etc”. Dutt argued the orders were passed without appreciation of facts. He had added that there was likelihood of the facilities being misused “thereby putting security of the state at risk”.

On the previous date of hearing the High Court Registry had appointed senior advocate J. S. Bedi to represent Bhai Jagtar Singh Tara as a legal aid counsel. However, it is learnt that Bhai Jagtar Singh Tara has also expressed his desire to appear before the Bench to argue the matter.