Ranchi: A 20-year-old former undertrial inmate of Birsa Munda Central Jail was allegedly sexually assaulted on three occasions while lodged in the prison, according to a complaint filed by his father.Police registered an FIR on Thursday evening, following intervention by the Ranchi District Legal Services Authority (DLSA).The FIR names 19 people, including several inmates accused of direct involvement in the alleged assaults and jail officials accused of conspiracy and dereliction of duty. The accused include the jail superintendent, a ward in-charge and a medical officer, according to reports based on the FIR.DSP (Sadar) Sanjeev Besra said the case had been filed under relevant provisions of BNS. He said the allegations were being investigated.The complainant’s son had been lodged in the jail as an undertrial in a criminal case and was acquitted by a Ranchi court on June 12. His father alleged that the assaults took place during the period of his incarceration between Jan and March and that he was also forced to consume an intoxicating substance.The complaint further alleges that he sought help inside the jail but that his written complaint was allegedly destroyed. It also alleges that he was denied medical treatment for injuries sustained during the assaults.After his release, he reportedly underwent treatment at the Central Institute of Psychiatry in Ranchi.In a statement issued on Friday, DLSA said the survivor had approached them after police allegedly failed to register his complaint. The authority said it forwarded his application to the police and senior officers, following which the FIR was registered.DLSA said they counselled the survivor and his family and appointed an advocate to assist them. It has also sought compensation for him.IG (prisons) Sudarshan Prasad Mandal said the matter was under investigation. Jail superintendent Chandrashekhar denied being informed of the alleged assaults, saying the survivor had not raised the issue with him or officers who visited the prison.
