New Delhi: Taking a grim view of “total disregard” of SC and its own directions to expand and strengthen open correctional institutions (OCIs) or open prisons, Delhi High Court Wednesday issued a contempt notice to the DG (prisons) and sought his response by Nov 18. It also warned Delhi’s chief secretary of contempt charges if HC’s time-bound directions given weren’t implemented.“The matter has not travelled an inch ahead… there is complete callousness and insensitive attitude in complying with SC’s order,” a bench of acting Chief Justice Nitin Wasudeo Sambre and Justice Sanjay Sharma noted.HC took exception to an affidavit filed by a junior jail officer when it had earlier directed it should be filed by the DG and must include a flowchart indicating progress since Feb when SC issued detailed directions to all states, including Delhi, to establish and expand open prison facilities.When the bench asked if the state govt has framed or amended existing rules as directed by SC, it was informed by govt’s standing counsel (criminal) Sanjay Lao, on instructions from officers, that it was not required. HC asked if it should record the statement that no amendment or modification was required in the rules. When the counsel sought time, it pointed out a monitoring committee set up on orders of SC had met only once in Delhi’s case.“When DLSA chairperson called a meeting, your secretary deputed some joker to the committee meeting. You want to show us the minutes of the meeting? We don’t want to wash dirty linen in our order about what the state has done, complete eyewash. It is HC which is answerable to SC,” the bench shot back.HC said SC had specified that for such meetings, an officer not below the rank of secretary should be present, yet the state govt had sent a junior official.It was hearing a suo motu PIL petition on the issue of semi-open and open prisons in Delhi. HC had asked Delhi govt to file an affidavit detailing the steps taken to ensure compliance with SC’s Feb 26 order.
