Suspended 9 Tihar jail officials over alleged extortion racket: Delhi govt to HC
On May 2, the court had instructed the government to conduct a thorough investigation to identify officials involved in supporting the extortion racket
The Delhi government on Wednesday told the Delhi high court that it has suspended nine Tihar jail officials for their involvement in the alleged extortion racket being run inside the prison in collusion with inmates and initiated disciplinary proceedings against them.
The submission was made by standing counsel Sanjay Lao before a bench comprising Chief Justice DK Upadhyay and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela, following criticism from the court over the government’s failure to comply with its May 2 order.
On May 2, the court had instructed the government to conduct a thorough investigation to identify officials involved in supporting the extortion racket and to submit a detailed report on the action taken.
On Monday, the court had rebuked the government for failing to comply with the directive and had directed them to give details of the steps taken.
Apprising the court about the steps, Lao thus urged the court to grant the government another two months for filing the report. Taking note of the same, the court acceded to the request and asked it to submit the report by October 28.
“Having regards to the averments made in the application, further eight weeks is granted to the Home Department of GNCTD, to submit the report. List this case on October 28, on which the status report as directed on 11 August 2025 shall be filed by the CBI and the state government,” the court said in its order.
{{/usCountry}}“Having regards to the averments made in the application, further eight weeks is granted to the Home Department of GNCTD, to submit the report. List this case on October 28, on which the status report as directed on 11 August 2025 shall be filed by the CBI and the state government,” the court said in its order.
{{/usCountry}}The court was acting on a petition filed by Mohit Kumar Goyal, who was arrested in a cheating case and granted bail after two months. In his plea, Goyal sought an independent probe into the extortion racket allegedly operating from inside the prison.
{{/usCountry}}The court was acting on a petition filed by Mohit Kumar Goyal, who was arrested in a cheating case and granted bail after two months. In his plea, Goyal sought an independent probe into the extortion racket allegedly operating from inside the prison.
{{/usCountry}}The court in September last year had ordered the inspection of Tihar jail after Goyal flagged the alleged extortion network functioning with impunity.
{{/usCountry}}The court in September last year had ordered the inspection of Tihar jail after Goyal flagged the alleged extortion network functioning with impunity.
{{/usCountry}}On April 7, the jail’s inspecting judge had filed a report which revealed that the jail’s landline number was being misused as part of the extortion scheme. It also highlighted serious irregularities and criminal collusion among jail authorities.
Perusing the report, the court on May 2 had directed the CBI to initiate a preliminary enquiry (PE) and had asked the Delhi government to launch a thorough probe to identify delinquent officials aiding the racket.
Astonished by the racket, the high court on Monday had also directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to file a first information report (FIR) for investigating the same, saying that it was unacceptable that though the authorities, despite being responsible to provide basic minimum needs of all inmates, had failed to do so, and those with money or influence were able to enjoy illegal benefits.
The judges issued the direction after perusing CBI’s PE report which indicated the involvement of inmates and jail officials in numerous illegal and corrupt practices in the jail.
