Ex-jail chief booked for prisoner’s murder

GHAZIABAD - A murder case was Thursday registered against a former Ghaziabad jail superintendent for the death in the prison last year of a serial blast accused.

The case was registered at Masuri police station against V.K. Singh, a former superintendent of Dasna jail, on the direction of Ghaziabad Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) D.D. Ojha.

“We have registered the case as per orders issued by the CJM court. The investigation in the case would be conducted in accordance with law,” said M.M. Baig, superintendent of police, rural Ghaziabad.

“A notice would be issued to V.K. Singh to seek his cooperation in the investigation,” he said.

A murder case was also registered against some junior staff of the jail.

The case was registered on the complaint of the brother of Shakil, an accused in a case of train serial blasts in Ghaziabad and Sahibabad in 1995.

Shakil died in the Ghaziabad jail barracks last year.

His brother, Habib, moved the court to say that his brother was murdered at the instance of Singh.

Later, a post mortem report revealed that Shakil’s body contained a toxin. Habib then moved the court of the CJM, which has now ordered police to register a case and start investigations.

Habib lodged the complaint with the police but the police refused to entertain his plea.

Later, Habib moved court which Tuesday ordered the filing of a case against the jail staff. The case was registered Thursday.