Demand to release political prisoners held under UAPA in Hyderabad Central Prison

Counterview Desk

The civil rights network Campaign Against State Repression (CASR)*, condemning what it calls "inhuman treatment" of three political prisoners by the jail authorities of Chanchalguda Central Prison, Hyderabad, has said that despite getting bail, they are kept in jail after registering fresh charges against them.

CASR reports, two of them, Amitabh Bagchi and Gangadhara Rao (both above 70), held under India's Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), are having serious health issues, yet have been forced to begun a hunger strike demanding that their cells be opened during the day.

Text:

Campaign Against State Repression has been informed by the Hyderabad-based advocate, Jabali, that political prisoners Amitabh Bagchi (72), Gangadhara Rao (over 70), and Rajkumar (26), held under UAPA in Chenchalguda Central Prison, have begun a hunger strike demanding that their cells be opened during the day.

As informed by Jabali, Amitab Bagchi, who suffers from severe health issues -- including glaucoma, spinal arthritis, and significant vision loss -- was granted bail by the Karimnagar Sessions Court after 13 years as an under trial prisoner. However, the very same court reversed its own decision without any new facts and circumstances or violation of bail. Additionally, Bagchi’s surety, renowned Telugu writer Hussain, was arrested prior to the bail cancellation.

Gangadhara Rao, arrested with his wife eight months ago, was granted default bail due to the police's failure to file a charge sheet or request a 90 days extension. Despite this, the Sessions Court stayed the bail, and the case has faced continuous adjournments without the filing of a charge sheet. This ongoing delay appears to be a tactic to harass the prisoners.

Rajkumar faces repeated legal challenges. After securing bail in one case, he is immediately presented in another case to extend his imprisonment.

These prisoners are currently held in solitary confinement in Narmada Barrack, Chenchalguda Jail, and are protesting by refusing food. They are confined to their cells throughout the day, violating various High Court and Supreme Court rulings against solitary confinement.

Jabali added that Mula Devender Reddy, who is in the jail hospital, has lost vision in one eye and has only 5 feet of vision in the other. He needs a magnifier and telescope to perform daily activities effectively. Devender Reddy has an order from the court permitting him the use of these aids. Despite this order, Devender Reddy was not provided with the magnifier until Jabali issued a legal notice to the Superintendent, threatening contempt of court. The magnifier was eventually supplied this morning. However, the Superintendent has not complied with the court's order for a medical examination of Reddy by an eye doctor.

Additionally, Devender Reddy was not permitted to access his bail petition papers. These issues were detailed in the legal notice, but despite receiving it, only the magnifier was provided. As a result, Reddy has been unable to file his bail petition.

CASR demands an immediate end to this mistreatment and calls for the restoration of the prisoners' rights and humane treatment. We demand Immediate release all these political orisoners.

---

*AIRSO, AISA, AISF, APCR, ASA, BAPSA, BBAU, BASF, BSM, Bhim Army, bsCEM, CEM, COLLECTIVE, CRPP, CSM, CTF, DISSC, DSU, DTF, Forum Against Repression Telangana, Fraternity, IAPL, Innocence Network, Karnataka Janashakti, LAA, Mazdoor Adhikar Sangathan, Mazdoor Patrika, , NAPM, NAZARIYA , Nishant Natya Manch, Nowruz, NTUI, People’s Watch, Rihai Manch, Samajwadi Janparishad, Samajwadi Lok Manch, Bahujan Samjavadi Manch, SFI, United Peace Alliance, WSS,Y4S

Comments

Grueling summer ahead: Cuttack’s alarming health trends and what they mean for Odisha

By Sudhansu R Das The preparation to face the summer should begin early in Odisha. People in the state endure long, grueling summer months starting from mid-February and extending until the end of October. This prolonged heat adversely affects productivity, causes deaths and diseases, and impacts agriculture, tourism and the unorganized sector. The social, economic and cultural life of the state remains severely disrupted during the peak heat months.

Concerns raised over move to rename MGNREGA, critics call it politically motivated

By A Representative Concerns have been raised over the Union government’s reported move to rename the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), with critics describing it as a politically motivated step rather than an administrative reform. They argue that the proposed change undermines the legacy of Mahatma Gandhi and seeks to appropriate credit for a programme whose relevance has been repeatedly demonstrated, particularly during times of crisis.

A comrade in culture and controversy: Yao Wenyuan’s revolutionary legacy

By Harsh Thakor* This year marks two important anniversaries in Chinese revolutionary history—the 20th death anniversary of Yao Wenyuan, and the 50th anniversary of his seminal essay "On the Social Basis of the Lin Biao Anti-Party Clique". These milestones invite reflection on the man whose pen ignited the first sparks of the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution and whose sharp ideological interventions left an indelible imprint on the political and cultural landscape of socialist China.

Swami Vivekananda's views on caste and sexuality were 'painfully' regressive

By Bhaskar Sur* Swami Vivekananda now belongs more to the modern Hindu mythology than reality. It makes a daunting job to discover the real human being who knew unemployment, humiliation of losing a teaching job for 'incompetence', longed in vain for the bliss of a happy conjugal life only to suffer the consequent frustration.

Why India must urgently strengthen its policies for an ageing population

By Bharat Dogra A quiet but far-reaching demographic transformation is reshaping much of the world. As life expectancy rises and birth rates fall, societies are witnessing a rapid increase in the proportion of older people. This shift has profound implications for public policy, and the need to strengthen frameworks for healthy and secure ageing has never been more urgent. India is among the countries where these pressures will intensify most sharply in the coming decades.

MG-NREGA: A global model still waiting to be fully implemented

By Bharat Dogra When the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MG-NREGA) was introduced in India nearly two decades ago, it drew worldwide attention. The reason was evident. At a time when states across much of the world were retreating from responsibility for livelihoods and welfare, the world’s second most populous country—with nearly two-thirds of its people living in rural or semi-rural areas—committed itself to guaranteeing 100 days of employment a year to its rural population.

School job scam and the future of university degree holders in West Bengal

By Harasankar Adhikari The school recruitment controversy in West Bengal has emerged as one of the most serious governance challenges in recent years, raising concerns about transparency, institutional accountability, and the broader impact on society. Allegations that school jobs were obtained through irregular means have led to prolonged legal scrutiny, involving both the Calcutta High Court and the Supreme Court of India. In one instance, a panel for high school teacher recruitment was ultimately cancelled after several years of service, following extended judicial proceedings and debate.

India’s Halal economy 'faces an uncertain future' under the new food Bill

By Syed Ali Mujtaba* The proposed Food Safety and Standards (Amendment) Bill, 2025 marks a decisive shift in India’s food regulation landscape by seeking to place Halal certification exclusively under government control while criminalising all private Halal certification bodies. Although the Bill claims to promote “transparency” and “standardisation,” its structure and implications raise serious concerns about religious freedom, economic marginalisation, and the systematic dismantling of a long-established, Muslim-led Halal ecosystem in India.

Women’s rights alliance seeks NCW action against Nitish Kumar over public veil incident

By A Representative An alliance of women’s rights activists has urged the National Commission for Women (NCW) to initiate legal action against Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar over an incident at a public function in Patna that they allege amounted to a grave violation of a Muslim woman’s dignity and constitutional rights. In a detailed complaint dated December 18, the All India Feminist Alliance (ALIFA), part of the National Alliance of People’s Movements (NAPM), sought the NCW’s immediate intervention following an episode on December 15 during the distribution of appointment letters to newly recruited AYUSH doctors in Patna.

Search This Blog