Jharkhand’s prison and institutional safety systems came under political scrutiny after allegations involving an undertrial at Ranchi’s Birsa Munda Central Jail and a case registered against Simdega MLA Bhushan Bara at his official residence. Leader of opposition Babulal Marandi alleged that jails, police stations and lawmakers’ residences were no longer safe, while the Congress said the allegations must be investigated impartially and that guilt cannot be presumed before the inquiries are completed.
Marandi raised the issue on Saturday while referring to a recent series of alleged sexual offences in the state. Speaking about the reported assault of an undertrial at Birsa Munda Central Jail earlier this year, he said a prison was expected to be among the safest places but alleged that inmates themselves were unsafe. He also claimed that the survivor had not received proper medical treatment.
The allegations concerning the jail incident have not been established through a finding cited in the report. Marandi’s comments were framed as criticism of the state government’s handling of custodial safety and medical care. The report did not provide details of the alleged incident, the status of any investigation or the response of prison authorities.
Marandi also referred to the case involving Bara, who was booked a day earlier on an allegation of raping a minor girl at his government residence in Ranchi. Marandi claimed that criminal cases had previously been registered against the MLA but that no action had been taken. The report does not establish the allegations against Bara as fact, and the case remains subject to investigation and due process.
The political dispute also turned to deaths in custody. Marandi said a report submitted by the state government to the Jharkhand High Court indicated that 427 deaths had occurred in police and judicial custody in the state up to 2026. He called for the government to clarify what action had been taken against those responsible. The report did not specify the period covered by the figure, the breakdown between police and judicial custody, or the findings and recommendations contained in the submission.
The Congress rejected Marandi’s criticism as an attempt to politicise an ongoing investigation. Party spokesperson Rakesh Sinha said allegations against any individual should be investigated impartially and that guilt could not be presumed before the probe was completed. He said the law should be allowed to take its course and that strict action should follow if charges were proved.
The competing statements place accountability for custodial institutions and official premises at the centre of the dispute. The allegations involve different settings—a central jail, police and judicial custody, and an elected representative’s government residence—but the report does not indicate whether the cases are connected or whether any common administrative inquiry is under way.
The immediate official steps cited in the report are the ongoing investigation into the allegation involving Bara and the need for clarification on the custody-death figures and action taken in those cases. No additional response from the state government, prison authorities or police was included in the supplied report.
