The Delhi High Court on Thursday closed the proceedings on a plea by two Delhi riots accused on prison conditions during COVID-19, saying as pandemic-related restrictions were not applicable anymore, there was nothing left in the matter.
Petitioners Natasha Narwal and Devangana Kalita had moved the high court in 2021 during their judicial custody in the Tihar jail and raised several issues regarding virtual meetings, computer facilities, tele-calling and vaccination.
“The petition has run its course. Anything that remains will be governed by the prison rules. COVID-19 is over,” observed Justice Prathiba M Singh.
The court was also informed that during the pendency of the plea, the petitioners were released on bail.
“Considering that the restrictions due to COVID-19 are not applicable anymore, no further orders are called for in the writ petition which dealt with prison conditions during the pandemic,” the court said.
In view of the apprehensions of the petitioners in light of the pendency of the appeal against their bail before the Supreme Court, the court clarified that they would have the liberty to approach it again if need arises.
The counsel for the petitioners said the issue of virtual mulaqaat (meeting) for inmates in case of foreign relatives was yet to be decided.
The Delhi government’s counsel said according to an order issued November last year, the facility would be available to all inmates except in cases of certain offences.
In their plea, the petitioners had sought several directions to prison authorities, including a permit to them and other inmates to have weekly physical or virtual meetings with friends and family and to have “access to accredited doctors, therapists and other medical professionals through video conferencing facilities”.
They had also sought access to research supervisors and other professionals through video conferencing “for the purpose of completing education” as well as rules “to permit adherence to norms of natural justice and prisoner participation in disciplinary proceeding.
