HC Orders FIR Over Unexplained Injuries and ₹25 Lakh to Prisoner’s Family, Directs 24×7 Medical Care in Jodhpur Jail.
Jodhpur: The Rajasthan High Court has ordered the State Government to pay ₹25 lakh compensation to the family of Rooparam, an undertrial prisoner who died at Central Jail, Jodhpur, in July 2025.
Justice Farjand Ali observed that the circumstances surrounding his death raised serious concerns, particularly over the injuries found on his body and the medical assistance provided to him.
The order came on a petition filed by Lila, wife of Rooparam, seeking an investigation into his death and compensation for the family. Rooparam had been lodged in Central Jail since August 2023. On July 2, 2025, after his health deteriorated, he was taken to Mahatma Gandhi Hospital, where he was declared dead at around 9:20 AM.
The Court took note of the post-mortem report, which recorded seven ante-mortem injuries on Rooparam’s body. It said the manner in which the injuries were caused remained unexplained and that his death could not be viewed as an ordinary or natural occurrence.
At the same time, Justice Farjand Ali clarified that the Court was not determining whether the death was homicidal or fixing criminal responsibility on any individual. Those issues, it said, must be examined through a fair and independent investigation.
The Director General of Police has been directed to ensure that an FIR is registered within 48 hours, with the investigation to be conducted by an officer not below the rank of RPS. The compensation must be paid to Rooparam’s widow and other family members within 60 days.
The Court also ordered improvements in the jail’s emergency medical facilities, medicines, equipment and ECG services. The State has been asked to consider deploying dedicated medical staff on a 24×7 basis, stressing that lack of timely medical assistance cannot become a reason for loss of life in custody.
The matter will remain under the Court’s supervision, with the jail and health authorities required to submit a compliance report after 60 days.
The case will next come up for compliance on October 30, 2026.