Bandages made by jailbirds go in vain as officials con Rs 4 crore
Jail authorities, committing offence is worse than the convicts confined in the prisons observed a division bench of Justices SM Subramaniam and N Jothiraman while hearing a petition alleging that jail authorities of central prisons misappropriating huge funds.
Madras High Court (File)
CHENNAI: More than 36.76 lakh metres of bandage, worth Rs 4 crore, produced by the prisoners were not supplied to the hospitals by the jail authorities, swindling the government funds.
Expressing shock over the finding of a DVAC probe, the Madras High Court, on Wednesday, directed the state government, DGP Prisons and DVAC to expedite the probe and suspend officials involved in the corrupt act.
Prison authorities who commit such offences are worse than the convicts confined in the prisons, observed a division bench of Justices SM Subramaniam and N Jothiraman hearing a petition on misappropriation of funds by prison officials.
Pointing out that the DVAC probe also revealed that stationaries worth Rs 1.64 crore were misappropriated by the prison authorities, the court also directed disciplinary action against the erring officials under the Tamil Nadu Civil Services Rules.
The probe that led to startling revelations was based on a petition by Gokila who submitted that her husband Murugaiyan, a convict prisoner in Puzhal Central prison, was not paid for working as a school assistant in the jail for the past four months. Claiming that several prisoners like Murugaiyan were not paid properly, Gokila alleged misappropriation of wages and funds by the prison officials.
After the bench ordered that pending wages to prisoners should be settled within four weeks, Additional Advocate General (AAG) J Ravindran submitted a status report stating that departmental proceedings were initiated against the officials involved.
Permission has been granted to register criminal cases against three officials for fund misappropriation and the forging of documents, and disciplinary proceedings were initiated against then DIG prisons, Madurai for dereliction of duty by failing to supervise subordinates.
Searches were held in private places supplying raw materials to the central prisons and the officials involved in corrupt activities will be booked, added the AAG.
After the submission, the bench disposed of the petition and directed the State to file a report in compliance with the court order.
