Chandigarh: A 28-year-old undertrial prisoner in Punjab's Barnala district has made grave allegations of ill-treatment the inmates are facing in the jail.
Before the Mansa district court, Karamjit Singh, who is facing a case under the NDPS (Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act), accused the jail superintendent of branding the word 'aatankwadi' or terrorist on his back apart from torture for questioning the ill-treatment being suffered by the prisoners.
Karamjit also revealed the pathetic state of jail conditions where people diagnosed with AIDS and hepatitis are left to stay with others.
The jail superintendent, Balbir Singh, however, denied the allegations calling Karamjit a habitual offender who often fabricated stories of torture.
"He faces trial under 11 cases, ranging from NDPS Act to murder, and now he is making these allegations because he is upset with us... we keep searching the barracks and last time we found a cell phone in his barrack.... even when he was lodged in Sangrur district," Balbir Singh was quoted as said by NDTV.
The superintendent further claimed Karamjit Singh had once even escaped from police custody.
Deputy Chief Minister Randhawa has ordered ADGP (Jails) PK Sinha to conduct an in-depth inquiry and carry out a medical examination of the prisoner. A senior officer - Tajinder Singh Maur, the DIG (Ferozepur) - has been appointed as the investigating officer, and will begin inquiries today.