Tihar jail denies response to RTI query concerning Afzal guru
4 Mar, 2013Afzal Guru was convicted for plotting the terror attack on parliament on Dec 13, 2001 and was hanged Feb 9 at Tihar Jail after the President rejected his mercy plea. An application was filed with the Tihar jail under the Right to Information (RTI) Act seeking details about Afzal Guru who was hanged recently in connection with terrorist attack on Indian Parliament.
Vide the application, a copy of the 'black warrant' of Afzal Guru, copies of communication sent by ministry of home affairs after taking a decision on the mercy petition, and the total expenses, item wise on keeping Afzal in the prison. It also sought the copies of documents sent and received by the prison department during the process of deciding the place of burial. The applicant also wanted to know the names of the executioner and the list of people present during the burial of Guru's dead body.
However, the prison headquarters (office of the director general of prisons) denied providing the demanded information stating that such information could pre-judicially affect the sovereignty and integrity of India, the security, strategic, scientific or economic interests of the state, relation with foreign state or lead to incitement of an offence.