SC Judge, Delhi CJ inaugurate new legal clinic in Tihar

Now, inmates of Tihar Jail here as well as their visitors can avail the benefit of free legal advice with a new legal aid centre inaugurated in Asia's largest prison complex by Supreme Court judge, Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Delhi High Court's Chief Justice Dhirubhai Naranbhai Patel on Wednesday.

An 'Oasis Centre' to ensure mental, educational, and social development of the jail inmates was also launched on the occasion.

Tihar Director General Sandeep Goyal told that the new legal clinic had been set up in Jail No 4. The earlier centre to offer free legal advice to prisoners was in Jail No 3, he added.

The new legal clinic was jointly inaugurated by Justice Khanna, and Delhi Chief Justice Patel, he said. Justices G.S. Sistani and S. Murlidhar of the Delhi High Court were also present on the occasion.

Speaking on the occasion, Chief Justice Patel noted that setting up of a free legal clinic in the jail was a welcome measure, which would benefit both the prisoners and their families, especially those that were not well-off. He also said that with the provision of legal advice would also enable the legal process to move faster.

Justice Khanna said that efforts to make a prison a centre to reform prisoners should also always be encouraged, and Tihar Jail was proceeding towards this in a praiseworthy manner, and with appreciable results.

He also said that prison inmates should also take benefit of the Oasis Centre, so that once they are freed after their sentence, they should not be dependent on anyone, and will recall with gratitude the lessons they learnt in it.

On the new legal clinic, Goyal said that it came up by the joint efforts of the Delhi State Legal Service and the Tihar administration.

The clinic will function from Monday to Friday, in normal office hours.

Goyal said that the Oasis Centre will be equipped with ACs, refrigerators and LED lights for the prisoners' benefit.

( With inputs from IANS )