Delhi Court seeks reply from Tihar Jail on Yasin Bhatkal's 'harassment' plea

New Delhi: A Delhi Court has sought reply from Tihar Jail authorities following the plea of Indian Mujahideen (IM) co-founder Yasin Bhatkal alleging physical harassment and human rights violation by jail authorities. Bhatkal's plea also seeks a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) in the matter. The court has sought the reply by June 8. Bhatkal in his plea alleged that he has been kept under double lock and in a segregated state from the past four months round the clock, due to which he has developed several illnesses including mental and psychological diseases. The application also alleges that he was denied proper medication which was prescribed by the doctors. Bhatkal has also blamed the authorities for bad quality food and in his plea he said that during Ramzan fasting, he did not get fruits, even with his own money. He has also made corruption charges against the jail authorities. The Patiala House Court earlier this week heard Bhatkal's plea challenging his solitary confinement in a high security cell of the Tihar Jail. The court had on March 7 reserved its order in the plea and was to pass the order on Bhatkal's application on March 25. Tihar Jail authorities in their reply told the court that there was no solitary cell in the jail, and added that Bhatkal was kept under surveillance as there are several cases pending against him. Bhatkal has maintained that he can't be kept in a high security cell as per a Supreme Court ruling. In the application moved by Bhatkal's counsel, it was stated that his client's solitary confinement amounted to a contempt of court. Bhatkal was listed on the National Investigation Agency (NIA) Most Wanted list till his arrest on the India-Nepal border in Bihar on August 28, 2013.