Post court order, Tamil Nadu puts an end to use of orderlies by prison officials

CHENNAI: Complying with a recent High Court order, the Tamil Nadu Home Department, on November 22, issued an order to abolish the use of orderlies by prison officials and conduct a detailed inquiry to identify erring officials.

Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Dheeraj Kumar, citing the Madras High Court interim order dated June 14, issued the order, a fallout of the writ petition filed by V Sujatha of Tirunelveli regarding the deplorable condition of Puzhal prison, where her husband Vigneshwarperumal was lodged.

The court had asked the DGP and head of TN police, Shankar Jiwal, to “conduct an elaborate enquiry into the prison authorities who engaged uniformed personnel/public servants for their residential or personal work” in prisons across the State. The DGP of Prisons was also instructed to withdraw personnel deputed to the residence of the retired officials, if any.

The government has sought a detailed report regarding the misuse of uniformed personnel by engaging them in the orderly system to “initiate appropriate action against the erring prison officials,” the order stated, noting that the officials holding inquiry could engage Crime Branch CID police to assist them and also obtain inputs from the Intelligence Wing.

The order further stated that uniformed personnel engaged in the orderly system should be withdrawn and redeployed for prison duties as per the prison rules and government orders in force. This should be done within three weeks from November 22, he said.

Sources in the prison department said several wardens and inmates in the central prison had been engaged for senior officials of the department. “At least five inmates and a couple of wardens have been deputed to the official residences of the jail superintendents and DIG,” said a source in the prison department.