Men who marred 2012 share cell with Soumya’s killer, hardened criminals
2 Jan 2013 5:15 AM IST
The accused in the heinous Vasant Vihar gang rape case have finally found 'safe' company inside Tihar jail, where they are currently lodged. Jail officials were on tenterhooks trying to find a safe cell for them as other inmates were reported to have beaten them up for the ghastly crime. Their safety has now been secured by putting them in the same ward as accused persons in the other (in)famous cases of crime against women.
In Tihar jail, out of over 12,000 prisoners, around 14 per cent are lodged under charges of rape and other crimes against women.
The main accused in the case, Ram Singh, the bus driver, is lodged in jail number 3. He is sharing a general ward with one of the accused in TV journalist Soumya Viswanathan’s murder. The 26-year-old journalist was shot dead in Delhi on 30 September, 2008, when she was driving from her Jhandewalan office to her Vasant Kunj residence.
Another accused in the case, Mukesh Singh, driver-cum-cleaner, is lodged in jail number 4 and is living in the same general ward where Shiv Murti Dwivedi alias Ichchadhari Sant Swami Bhimanand Ji Maharaj Chitrakoot wale lived till few days back before going out on parole. Officials said Dwiwedi would continue to be in the same jail after his return. Dwivedi has been charged in cases under the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act. Mukesh's ward has other accused like Anup Juneja, the infamous land mafiosi leader. There are three more accused of the gang rape case in Tihar. Another accused Akshay is giving company to Mukesh in jail number 4. Two other accused – Pawan Gupta, a fruit vendor and Vijay Sharma, assistant gym trainer – are in jail number 7, jail for adolscents. One of the accused is a juvenile.
'We are treating them like any other accused persons and they continue to remain in the general ward of the jail with other inmates who have been charged of various crimes, including rape. ‘They have not been confined to some solitary cells and they are living with other inmates in the jail,' said Sunil Gupta, spokesperson, Tihar prisons.
Jail officials said in view of the nationwide protests against the gang rape, they are keeping a close eye on their security but they have not been given any special security and are living in the general ward along with other accused persons. Officials said these accused persons have been attacked by other inmates for the brutal gang rape but this kind of behaviour is not very uncommon for rape accused inside the jail.
In Tihar jail, out of over 12,000 prisoners, around 14 per cent are lodged under charges of rape and other crimes against women.
The main accused in the case, Ram Singh, the bus driver, is lodged in jail number 3. He is sharing a general ward with one of the accused in TV journalist Soumya Viswanathan’s murder. The 26-year-old journalist was shot dead in Delhi on 30 September, 2008, when she was driving from her Jhandewalan office to her Vasant Kunj residence.
Another accused in the case, Mukesh Singh, driver-cum-cleaner, is lodged in jail number 4 and is living in the same general ward where Shiv Murti Dwivedi alias Ichchadhari Sant Swami Bhimanand Ji Maharaj Chitrakoot wale lived till few days back before going out on parole. Officials said Dwiwedi would continue to be in the same jail after his return. Dwivedi has been charged in cases under the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act. Mukesh's ward has other accused like Anup Juneja, the infamous land mafiosi leader. There are three more accused of the gang rape case in Tihar. Another accused Akshay is giving company to Mukesh in jail number 4. Two other accused – Pawan Gupta, a fruit vendor and Vijay Sharma, assistant gym trainer – are in jail number 7, jail for adolscents. One of the accused is a juvenile.
'We are treating them like any other accused persons and they continue to remain in the general ward of the jail with other inmates who have been charged of various crimes, including rape. ‘They have not been confined to some solitary cells and they are living with other inmates in the jail,' said Sunil Gupta, spokesperson, Tihar prisons.
Jail officials said in view of the nationwide protests against the gang rape, they are keeping a close eye on their security but they have not been given any special security and are living in the general ward along with other accused persons. Officials said these accused persons have been attacked by other inmates for the brutal gang rape but this kind of behaviour is not very uncommon for rape accused inside the jail.
Next Story
