Madras HC directs Accountant General to audit victim compensation fund usage in jails

CHENNAI: The prisoners got every right to question the action or inaction, omission or commission of the prison authorities in settling the victim compensation, as they contributing to the victim compensation fund, held the Madras High Court.

A division bench of Justice SM Subramaniam and Justice M Jothiraman directed the Accountant General of Tamil Nadu (Audit) to depute a team of accounts officers to find out the correctness of the accounts maintained and  the genuinity of the payments made to the victims, wrote the bench.

The bench also directed the accountant general to audit the district level committee at all the eight central prisons in the State, since it is handling the victim compensation fund. The accountant general was directed to file a report in this regard on January 30 and the matter was adjourned for further proceedings.

The directions were issued while hearing a petition moved by Deepalakshmi, wife of a convict prisoner Senthilkumar alias Mudikondan, who is presently confined at Vellore prison.

The petitioner submitted that despite her husband is classified as A class prisoner, no such privileges, as provided under Rule 233 of Tamil Nadu Prison Rules has been followed by the prison authorities.

The exercise has been carried out by the prison authorities at their whims and fancies, she alleged.

Advocate P Pugalenthi on behalf of the petitioner submitted that the prison department deducting  20 percent wages of the prisoners to the account of victim compensation fund. However, he raised suspicion over handling the fund, alleging that no proper payment of funds to the victim, which were  deducted from the prisoner's salary. In support to his argument newspaper articles were placed before the bench.