A PIL was filed in Delhi high court by a NGO, after   an RTI reply received by the social group, Haq Center for Child Rights .This was brought to   the notice of the Delhi High Court.

In this case the letter from Asthana has been treated as a PIL, and Advocate Pankaj Sinha was appointed by as amicus curiae to assist it in this matter.

Taking suo motu cognizance of the letter, which had the RTI response from Tihar jail attached to it, a bench of Acting Chief Justice A K Sikri and Justice Rajiv Sahai took strong exception to the lapses committed in not ascertaining the age of juveniles. A response has been sought from Delhi Police Commissioner B K Gupta.

The Delhi High Court has sought the city government’s stand on two pleas on juvenile delinquents – one alleging that they are often lodged in Tihar jail with hardened criminals after their arrest and the second alleging deaths of 74 underage offenders in various observation homes.

This case has emerged as another case of violation of child rights in the country, as by putting these juveniles along with hardened criminals we are not providing them any chance to reform themselves but we are abetting them in becoming criminals.

Report by Abhishek Kumar

PIL against holding of Juveniles in Tihar Jail