+
 
For the best experience, open
m.thewire.in
on your mobile browser or Download our App.
You are reading an older article which was published on
Sep 22, 2020

Delhi Riots: Gulfisha Fatima Alleges Mental Harassment in Jail

The student claimed she was being discriminated against by the staff in the jail, who use communal slurs against her.
Gulfisha Fatima. Photo: Twitter

New Delhi: Student activist Gulfisha Fatima, arrested under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, alleged before a Delhi court on Monday that she was being subjected to communal slurs and mental harassment by jail authorities.

Fatima, an MBA graduate, is currently lodged in Tihar jail in the case related to the communal violence in northeast Delhi in February.

The submissions were made before additional sessions judge Amitabh Rawat when she was produced through video conferencing in the case.

Fatima alleged that she was being discriminated against by the staff in the jail.

“I have a problem in jail. Ever since I was brought here I have been constantly facing discrimination by the jail staff. They called me educated terrorist and are hurling communal slurs at me. I am facing mental harassment here. If I hurt myself, only jail authorities will be responsible for it,” she alleged.

After Fatima made her submissions directly to the court, the judge asked her lawyer to file an application regarding this.

To this, her counsel Mehmood Pracha said he will do the necessary in the case.

The court had earlier taken cognisance of the charge sheet filed in the case related to the conspiracy in the riots and summoned all the 15 accused to appear before it.

The court on Monday directed that the counsels of the accused be handed over a copy of the charge sheet and put up the case for further consideration on October 3.

In its chargesheet, the police has listed 747 witnesses and of them 51 have recorded their statements before the magistrate under section 164 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC).

The chargesheet has been filed under UAPA and various sections of the Indian Penal Codes and the Arms Act.

The police said it has given the chronology of conspiracy and relevant events in its chargesheet which is likely to be taken up for consideration soon.

Make a contribution to Independent Journalism
facebook twitter