Devangana Kalita v. The Superintendent Central Jail No 6 Tihar, NCT Of Delhi & ANR

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IN THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI

+ W.P.(CRL) 948/2020 DEVANGANA KALITA ..... Petitioner Through:

Mr Adit S. Pujari, Mr Chaitanya Sundriyal Ms Tusharika Mattoo and Mr Kunal Negi, Advocates.

versus THE SUPERINTENDENT CENTRAL JAIL NO.6 TIHAR, NCT OF DELHI & ANR ..... Respondents Through:

Mr Chaitanya Gosain, Advocate for Mr Rahul Mehra, Standing Counsel for State.

CORAM:

HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE VIBHU BAKHRU

O R D E R

% 03.07.2020 [Hearing held through video conferencing] 1.

A status report has been filed, which indicates that the grievances raised by the petitioner have been addressed. 2.

Mr Pujari, learned counsel appearing for the petitioner also confirms the same. Notwithstanding the same, he states that there are some additional issues that are not pleaded in the petition but require to be addressed. He submits that the petitioner requires (i) a headphone to maintain privacy of the conversation between her and her counsel; (ii) the facility to share documents online as the same is necessary for an effective consultation with her counsel for preparing her defense; (iii) that the provision of books and

reading material not be limited to academic books but be extended to other books as well; and (iv) that the video conferencing facility be provided to confer with her counsel twice a week for atleast 30 minutes on each occasion.

He submits that the similar issues were considered by a coordinate bench of this Court in a connected petition - W.P.(CRL.) 942/2020 captioned 'Natasha Narwal v. The Superintendent Central Jail 6, Tihar, NCT of Delhi & Anr. - and by an order dated 30.06.2020 all the said issues have been addressed. He submits that the petitioner would be satisfied if the present petition is disposed of in terms of the order dated 30.06.2020 passed in W.P.(CRL.) 942/2020.

3.

Mr Gosain, learned counsel appearing for the State states that he has no objection to the said prayer.

4.

In view of the above, this Court considers it apposite to dispose of the present petition in view the status report filed by the respondents with a further direction that insofar as other issues as noticed in this order are concerned, the benefit of the order dated 30.06.2020 passed in W.P.(CRL.) 942/2020 would be extended to the petitioner as well. It is so directed. VIBHU BAKHRU, J JULY 03, 2020 MK