‘Totally unacceptable’: Delhi high court on Tillu Tajpuriya murder in Tihar jail
The high court asked the authorities to explain why security personnel were not able to stop the crime since the incident was captured on CCTV cameras installed inside the Tihar jail complex
NEW DELHI: The murder of 33-year-old gangster Sunil Baliyan aka Tillu Tajpuriya in his prison cell in Tihar jail is a totally unacceptable state of affairs, the Delhi high court observed on Monday and ordered the jail superintendent to appear before the bench in person on the next date of hearing on May 25.
Justice Jasmeet Singh, who was hearing a petition filed by Tillu Tajpuriya’s father and brother to seek a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into the gangster’s death, also ordered the director general of prisons to file a report within a week, listing the jail officers who were responsible for the lapses that led to the murder in the high-security prison.
The judge asked the authorities to explain how the prisoners got hold of knives used to kill Tillu Tajpuriya and why security personnel did not intervene since the incident was captured on CCTV cameras installed inside the complex.
Tillu Tajpuriya was stabbed to death - an initial estimate indicated he was stabbed over 100 times - inside his prison cell by four inmates, allegedly by members of the criminal group earlier led by his rival Jitender Gogi who was shot dead inside a Rohini courtroom in September 2021 by Tillu’s gang.
The judge said that the court was unable to comprehend why no action was taken by the authorities when the incident was happening though the crime was being recorded on the CCTV.
“What is happening? I am unable to get it. What’s happening here? How do you permit this? There’s a justice system, no? How does it happen under your watch, “ justice Singh observed.
“This is totally an unacceptable state of affairs. The security of every prisoner is on the respondent (government) and the court is unable to comprehend if the entire incident was captured in CCTV installed in jail, why no steps were taken when the incident was happening,” the court said.
Additional standing counsel Rahul Tyagi, appearing for the state, told the bench that the probe has been transferred to the Special Cell of the Delhi police.
He said this was a case of gang rivalry that broke out inside the jail complex. As soon as the law officer said that the four gangsters were in suicide mode, justice Singh asked: “Should I record that you’re not responsible and prisoners are free to cut the jail bars? Unacceptable”.
The court granted protection to Tillu’s father and brother.
Senior advocate Maninder Singh, appearing for the petitioners, alleged that the murder was made possible due to connivance between the jail officers and the inmates who killed the gangster. The plea, filed by advocate Ajay Kumar Pipaniya, said that 20 police personnel stood as mute spectators as the murder was happening.
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