Phoolan Devi murder suspects allege torture; jailer asked to file report

A Delhi court has asked a jail superintendent of Tihar prison to file a report on the allegations of two accused, facing trial in the 2001 murder of bandit-turned-politician Phoolan Devi, that they were beaten up during their judicial custody.

"The jail superintendent of Tihar is directed to filea report in the matter by March 9, the next date of hearing," additional sessions judge SC Rajan said while taking into records the plea of accused Vijay Rana and Surinder Negi.

The accused, in their applications, alleged the police led by Ajay Bhatia assaulted them in jail number four on February 27 where there are lodged.

Negi, whose one of the hands allegedly got fractured, claimed that the prison authorities had threatened them that they would be  mplicated for keeping mobile phones.

"The superintendent is directed to provide treatment to the accused and send a report regarding the incident," the court said, adding the CCTV footage be provided to ascertain the veracity of the allegations. 

Meanwhile, the court, on March 9, would record the testimony of a prosecution witness in the high-profile murder case of the Samajwadi Party MP. 

Rana, with 11 others, allegedly conspired and killed Phoolan on July 25, 2001, to avenge the 1981 Behmai massacre in which she had killed 17 people of Thakur community. The assailants dropped weapons at the murder spot after killing her outside her 44 Ashoka Road residence here.