The Telangana High Court ordered the State to provide CCTV video of undertrial prisoner Pendyala Sucharitha's alleged custodial death at Narsampet Women's Prison after her brother petitioned for a fair probe.

Hyderabad: Telangana High Court Justice T. Madhavi Devi ordered the State to disclose CCTV evidence of the alleged custody death of a 30-year-old undertrial woman on Monday.

The brother of Pendyala Sucharitha filed a writ suit demanding a fair and effective inquiry into her alleged custodial death in the Special Prison for Women at Narsampet.

Senior Advocate V. Raghunath argued for the petitioner that jail personnel tortured and mistreated the dead despite his numerous health complaints. She died from prison assault. Advocates also highlighted the deceased's scalp injuries in the post-mortem report.

The Government Pleader for Home stated that the officials had received a charge note, departmental processes were started, and a magisterial inquiry was begun. Senior Advocate Raghunath said that departmental and magisterial inquiries could not replace a fair criminal inquiry into the deceased's brother's accusation.

After hearing the opposing arguments, Justice T. Madhavi Devi ordered the State, jail authorities, and police to submit counter-affidavits and present prison CCTV video by the next hearing. Adjourned for four weeks.