GIVE JAIN FOOD KEEPING FAST IN MIND, COURT DIRECTS TIHAR JAIL STAFF

New Delhi A Delhi court on Wednesday asked Tihar prison authorities to provide jailed Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) minister Satyendar Jain with food given to an under-trial detainee if he is on a religious fast, in terms of the Prison Rules, 2018.

The court was hearing Jain’s plea seeking directions to the director general (prisons) and Tihar superintendent to provide him basic food items as per his religious beliefs as well as give him access to medical facilities in jail. Special judge Vikas Dhull also asked Tihar authorities to file their reply as to what food was given to Jain over the last six months, whether he was on religious fast during the last 5-6 months, and whether the food that was being given was stopped at any point during the past 10-12 days. “Let response be filed by the Tihar Jail administration by...november 24 by 2.00 PM,” the court said in its order.

Opposing the submissions, law officer of Tihar (PHQ) told the court that to the best of his knowledge, no direction was passed to stop Jain’s diet in the prison.