New Delhi

Family members of inmates who die in prisons in the national capital under unnatural circumstances will be eligible for compensation of up to ₹7.5 lakh under a scheme notified by the Delhi government, the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) said on Sunday (August 3, 2026).

Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said the scheme, notified in accordance with the guidelines of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), would ensure timely relief to affected families in specified cases while further strengthening administrative accountability.

The Scheme for Payment of Compensation on Account of Death of Prisoners in Delhi Prison, 2025, will apply only to cases involving the unnatural death of a prisoner in any Delhi prison on or after the date of its notification.

According to the notification, compensation of ₹7.5 lakh will be paid to the family of a deceased prisoner in cases where death occurs due to clashes between inmates or alleged torture or assault by prison personnel. Compensation of ₹5 lakh has been prescribed in cases involving negligence by prison authorities or staff, negligence by medical or paramedical personnel, or suicide by a prisoner.

Under the scheme, the concerned Jail Superintendent will be required to submit the magisterial inquiry report, post-mortem report, final cause of death, the prisoner’s medical history, and details of the treatment provided before death to the Director General (Prisons), Delhi, in every case.

These cases will be reviewed by a committee headed by the Director General (Prisons). Based on the committee’s recommendation, a proposal seeking approval for the compensation will be placed before the Administrative Secretary of the Home Department. Once the compensation has been disbursed, the concerned Jail Superintendent will inform the National Human Rights Commission.

The Chief Minister said the Delhi government was fully committed to upholding the rule of law, human dignity and constitutional values. She said any unnatural death in custody was an extremely serious matter, and it was the government’s responsibility to ensure transparency, accountability and due process in such cases. “The government’s objective is to strengthen transparency, sensitivity, and accountability in prison administration while ensuring justice in every case in accordance with the law,” she said.

In September 2017, the Supreme Court directed the Chief Justices of all High Courts to suo motu register petitions to identify the kin of prisoners who died unnatural deaths from 2012 and direct the States to award them compensation.

Published - August 02, 2026 07:00 pm IST