Important cases<br> 1. Commission calls for report on sexual exploitation of lady prisoner in Haridwar jail

The Commission has called for a factual report from the DG (Prisons), Uttaranchal and Secretary, Health, Government of Uttaranchal based on reports that appeared in the media of a lady prisoner being sexually violated in the Haridwar district jail.
The news item which appeared in a Hindi daily dated 1 February 2005 reported that letters alleging the sexual harassment of a lady prisoner aged about 30 years and lodged in the Haridwar District Jail were sent by one of the convicted prisoners to the SDM, Haridwar and to the media. It stated that in connivance with the lady guards posted in the jail, the higher officers were exploiting the lady prisoner sexually in the godown of the Ladies Ward in the jail. Due to these sexual relations, the lady prisoner, it reported, got pregnant and on 17-18 January 2005, she was sent to the District Hospital for termination of her pregnancy, where she was given some medicines and injections to facilitate the termination of her pregnancy. Again on 27 January 2005, she was sent to the District Hospital where her pregnancy was medically terminated. The lady prisoner herself also narrated her story to the mother of one of the male prisoners who had visited the jail to meet her son, it stated.
It was further alleged in the news report that the jail authorities with a view to cover the scandal, have not only been putting pressure on the concerned female prisoner but even those who have been making complaints about it have also been threatened.
The Commission, in its order dated 2 February 2005 observed that if the contents of the report are true, it raises serious issue of violation of human rights of female prisoners lodged in the jail.
It has directed the Director General of Prisons, Uttaranchal and Secretary, Health, Government of Uttaranchal to send a factual report on the matter. Besides this, the Commission's Investigation team has visited the place to ascertain the situation.
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