Madras High Court orders audit of Tamil Nadu Victim Compensation Fund in all eight central prisons

A view of Vellore Central Prison. Representational image. File
| Photo Credit: C. Venkatachalapathy

The Madras High Court on Tuesday (January 22, 2025) directed the Accountant General of Tamil Nadu (AGTN) to depute a team of 10 officers to conduct audits at all eight central prisons across the State with respect to the use of the Tamil Nadu Victim Compensation Fund.

Justices S.M. Subramaniam and M. Jothiraman issued the direction after including suo motu the AGTN as one of the respondents to a writ petition filed by the relative of a prisoner and ordered submission of the audit report before the court by January 30, 2025.

M. Deepalakhsmi of Virudhachalam in Cuddalore district had filed the writ petition stating that her husband Mudikondan alias Senthilkumar was convicted in a murder case in 2015 and sentenced to life. The punishment was confirmed by the Supreme Court in 2018.

The petitioner’s counsel P. Pugalendhi told the court that the trial court had ordered provision of ‘A’ class facilities to the convict in the prison after taking into consideration that he was a panchayat president before conviction, an income tax assessee and was also doing social service.

Alleging that the ‘A’ class privileges provided to the petitioner’s husband, since 2015, were withdrawn suddenly three months ago, the counsel said, even the newspapers supplied to him were being censored in order to not let him read any news related to prisons and courts.

The petitioner also stated that though 20% of the wages due to the prisoners were being deducted for the purpose of augmenting the Tamil Nadu Victim Compensation Fund, the fund was not being utilised properly to provide monetary assistance to victims of criminal offences.

Claiming to have made a representation to the prison officials to extend ‘A’ class facilities to her husband besides ensuring effective utilisation of the victim compensation fund, the petitioner sought a direction to the Home Secretary and other officials to consider her representation.