[Unitech case] Supreme Court orders meeting between Central, Delhi governments for upgrading security in Tihar jail

The Supreme Court on Thursday directed the Central and Delhi governments to convene a meeting to ensure systematic implementation of the Delhi Police Commissioner's recommendations to upgrade security inside the Tihar Jail [Bhupinder Singh vs Unitech Ltd]..A Bench of Justices DY Chandrachud and MR Shah had initiated the process of addressing jail security degradation after it was noticed that the accused Chandra brothers in the Unitech case were engaging in illegal activities inside it with help from jail officers. The Court directed the a meeting between the Ministry of Home Affairs, Tihar Jail's Director General of Prisons and the Delhi Chief Secretary be held within a week to take a decision on implementation of the Police Commissioner's report..This was after the Bench was informed by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) that steps are yet to be taken by the Delhi government to implement the Commissioner's recommendations. The MHA also pointed out that 'prison' is a State subject. The Court noted that the "shifting of responsibility between MHA, the DG, Prisons and the Delhi Government, has to be redressed by effective coordination and expeditious decision making.""The report of the CP will gather dust unless effective steps are taken to implement it," the Court said..The Court thus ordered that, within a period of one week from today, a meeting shall be convened between: (i) A Secretary-level officer of the MHA; (ii) The DG, Prisons, at Tihar Jail; and (iii) The Chief Secretary, Delhi governmentThe Delhi Commissioner of Police will attend the meeting as an invitee, as per the order, so that "concrete decisions towards implementing the report of the CP shall be taken and a joint report shall be filed on affidavit indicating the manner in which implementation would be carried out providing time lines, the steps which shall be taken and assigning responsibility for compliance.".Some of the steps enlisted by the Police Commissioner are the installation of cellphone jammers, full-body X-Ray machines and installation of CCTV cameras..The matter will be heard again on February 17, 2022 when the Court will examine a joint affidavit which is required to be submitted by the three officials who attend the meeting..[Read Order]