Mumbai: A 50-year-old undertrial prisoner lodged in Yerwada Central Prison has approached the Maharashtra State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) alleging serious misconduct and extortion by jail officials.
The complaint, filed by Anil Mohite through his Advocate Shabbir Munnaf Nilgar, accuses senior prison officers of demanding protection money in exchange for his safety and subjecting him to custodial violence when he failed to pay.
Taking cognizance of the complaint, the SHRC has directed the Superintendent of Yerwada Central Prison to submit a detailed report on the allegations.
According to the complaint , Mohite — arrested in a 2022 attempt to murder case arising from a family feud and also facing charges under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) — was placed in Security Department 1 in May 2024 for his protection. However, the environment turned hostile soon after.
The complaint specifically names Jail Officer Ravindra Gaikwad, who allegedly told the prisoner that he was being kept in a “VIP cell” and must “pay attention” to him. Gaikwad allegedly demanded Rs 1 lakh in total and Rs 20,000 monthly, threatening repercussions if the money was not paid.
“When I told him that my bank accounts were frozen due to MCOCA proceedings and I had no money, he threatened that I would not be spared in jail,” reads Mohite’s complaint.
It further alleges that under instructions from Gaikwad, another jail officer, Atul Yamaji Tuvar, harassed the prisoner by humiliating him in front of others, delaying family visits, and obstructing timely meetings with his lawyer.
The most serious accusation involves a violent assault on January 15,2025 . According to Mohite , after other inmates were locked up, he was taken alone to “Gandhi Yard,” where he was brutally assaulted by Gaikwad, Tuvar, and other constables identified as Kulkarni, Jagtap, and Khilare.
“They beat me with belts and demanded Rs 2 lakh as a lump sum and Rs 50,000 monthly, or else they threatened to kill me and frame it as an internal gang fight,” the prisoner stated in his complaint. He also alleged that his signatures and thumbprints were forcibly taken on blank papers.
The prisoner has claimed that his life is under constant threat inside the prison and pleaded with the Human Rights Commission to conduct an independent inquiry and ensure his safety.
“I am a judicial prisoner and cannot do anything myself. I request that my application be taken seriously, my life be protected, and justice be provided,” the complaint concludes.
The SHRC, acknowledging the gravity of the allegations, has sought a response from the Yerwada prison authorities and indicated that appropriate action will be taken based on the findings of the report.
