The Jharkhand High Court has ordered a comprehensive and ongoing inspection of all jails in the state to verify the quality of food supplied to inmates and to ensure compliance with the established jail manual. The directive was issued in the course of hearing a criminal appeal by Akash Kumar Roy, who had challenged the rejection of his plea for regular bail by the Special Judge of the NIA. The matter had originally arisen in connection with a 2021 NIA-registered case involving multiple severe charges under the Indian Penal Code and Arms Act. During the hearing, the court took note of a newspaper report alleging that inmates in various jails across Jharkhand were receiving substandard food, a claim said to be based on a prior inspection conducted by the District Legal Services Authority (DLSA).
In response to these complaints, the Court had earlier directed the Home Secretary and the Inspector General of Prisons to file a detailed affidavit, calling for reports from each jail regarding the quality of food being supplied. Upon subsequent proceedings, the Superintendent of Birsa Munda Central Jail in Ranchi informed the bench that corrective measures had been implemented and that inmates were now being provided meals in accordance with the jail manual. The State’s counsel echoed this assurance, stating that food supply and quality had indeed improved.
However, the Court refused to take these assurances at face value and instead ordered an institutional mechanism to verify the claims on ground. The Court directed the Chairman and Secretary of the DLSA in Ranchi to conduct a surprise inspection of the jail on a non-working day. It further ordered that similar inspections be undertaken by the chairpersons and secretaries of all DLSAs across the state, requiring them to submit detailed reports within two weeks. The Court emphasized that these inspections should not be a one-time exercise; rather they must become a regular, frequent exercise under the supervision of the Jharkhand State Legal Services Authority (JHALSA) or the respective district DLSAs.
In addition to these inspection directives, the Court granted permission for a canteen to be run inside Birsa Munda Central Jail. The canteen is to be managed by a committee, largely composed of inmates, intended to ease difficulties inmates face in procuring day-to-day items. The bench clarified that the canteen’s operation will be subject to oversight by the jail authorities. The Court made it explicitly clear that the jailor will bear responsibility for any irregularities found during DLSA or JHALSA inspections. If violations are discovered, the Court warned that appropriate departmental proceedings will be initiated against the responsible official.
At the end of the hearing, the Court scheduled the next listing of the matter for December 11, allowing time for the DLSAs across the state to complete and submit their inspection reports. The Court’s directions reflect a strong impetus to uphold custodial standards and to ensure that basic rights of prison inmates—including access to food consistent with institutional standards—are protected, with accountability mechanisms firmly in place.
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