Mon Jan 20 07:22:03 UTC 2025: ## Madras High Court Seeks Union Home Ministry’s Input on Treatment of Foreign Prisoners
**Chennai, January 20, 2025** – The Madras High Court has sought clarification from the Union Ministry of Home Affairs regarding guidelines for ensuring the rights of foreign nationals arrested and imprisoned in India. The court’s inquiry stems from a writ petition filed by a Nigerian national, Egwim Kingstley, who alleges ill-treatment at Puzhal central prison near Chennai.
Kingstley, arrested by the Narcotics Control Bureau in 2021, claims mistreatment and poor conditions for himself and fellow inmates, including solitary confinement and inadequate medical care and provisions. His petition seeks an investigation into these allegations.
During the hearing, Justices S.M. Subramaniam and M. Jothiraman raised concerns about the treatment of foreign prisoners in general, questioning how police inform the families of foreign nationals arrested in India. The judges pointed out the legal requirement to inform the family of all arrested individuals to enable access to legal counsel, and questioned whether this process includes contacting embassies or consulates for foreign prisoners.
Acknowledging the Union Home Ministry’s authority on the matter, the court added the ministry as a respondent and requested a response regarding existing guidelines by next week. The court’s intervention highlights concerns about the rights and treatment of foreign nationals within the Indian prison system.
First Piper 