Tihar And Its Contours

By Mushtaq Ul Haq Ahmad Sikander, New Age Islam

24 June 2026

A disturbing memoir that exposes corruption, violence, and moral collapse inside Tihar Jail.

Main Points:

·         It presents Sunil Gupta’s firsthand account of working inside Tihar Jail and witnessing the prison’s internal workings over many years.

·         It shows how prison violence became normalized, with jailers often relying on inmates to discipline other inmates.

·         It highlights corruption and privilege; especially how influential prisoners could enjoy special treatment while ordinary inmates suffered.

·         It questions institutional fairness by showing unequal accountability, judicial pressure, and the scapegoating of junior officers.

·         It explores broader themes such as caste bias, drug abuse, reform efforts, and the blurred line between law enforcers and lawbreakers.

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Black Warrant: Confessions of a Tihar Jailer

Author: Sunil Gupta & Sunetra Choudhury

Publisher: Roli Books Pvt Ltd, New Delhi, India

Year of Publication: 2022

Pages: 178                                   

Price: Rs 395

ISBN: 9788194206859

Black Warrant: Confessions of a Tihar Jailer by Sunil Gupta, in collaboration with journalist Sunetra Choudhury, is a gripping and unsettling account of life inside one of India’s most notorious prisons—Tihar Jail. This work carries the weight of decades of institutional decay, moral ambiguity, and systemic violence. The work stands as both a memoir and an indictment of the Indian penal system. More than a narrative of crime and punishment, it is a layered exploration of power, corruption, human frailty, and the blurred boundaries between the keepers and the kept.

Sunil Gupta served as a Public Relations Officer at Tihar and was witness to some of the most high-profile and controversial moments in India’s penal history, including the execution of eight black warrants between 1981 and 2016. His vantage point allows him to narrate not only the lives of prisoners but also the hidden realities of those tasked with guarding them. The book challenges the conventional binary of victim and perpetrator, revealing instead a complex ecosystem where roles are often interchangeable and morality is compromised by systemic pressures.

In her Prologue, Sunetra Choudhury sets the tone for the narrative with a powerful observation: “Behind Bars was the story of the wrongs that prisoners experience in the hands of the criminal justice system and the jailers; this book shows that jailers are also imprisoned and trapped by their own system. Underpaid and overworked, they are ill trained and ill-equipped to handle the reform of prisoners. Most off their tortured selves became torturers themselves.” (P-xxi). This statement encapsulates the central thesis of the book—that the prison system does not merely confine inmates but ensnares its custodians in a cycle of institutional dysfunction.

One of the most striking revelations in the book is the normalization of violence within prison walls. Gupta recounts how jailers would often use prisoners themselves to discipline others, effectively outsourcing brutality. This practice not only perpetuates violence but also entrenches hierarchies among inmates, creating a parallel system of power that operates beyond official oversight. The prison, thus, becomes a microcosm of lawlessness under the guise of order.

The narrative also sheds light on the stark inequalities that define prison life. The case of Charles Sobhraj, the infamous serial killer, illustrates how wealth and influence can transform incarceration into a privileged existence. Gupta describes how Sobhraj enjoyed a princely lifestyle within the jail, with access to comforts and liberties that were denied to ordinary prisoners. Everything, it seems, was available—for a price. This commodification of justice exposes the deep-rooted corruption that permeates the system.

Escape attempts and their aftermath further highlight institutional bias. Junior officers often bore the brunt of administrative failures, losing their jobs or facing severe penalties, while senior officers escaped accountability. This pattern of scapegoating underscores a hierarchical culture where responsibility is unevenly distributed and justice selectively applied.

Gupta also reflects on the role of caste in shaping perceptions and interactions within the prison. Being perceived as a Baniya, he was often stereotyped as meek and non-confrontational, which influenced how both colleagues and inmates treated him. This subtle yet pervasive bias reveals how deeply entrenched social hierarchies continue to operate even within ostensibly neutral institutions.

The book delves into the lives of several high-profile prisoners, including Maqbool Bhat and the assassins of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. Gupta’s account of witnessing hangings is particularly haunting. He describes the psychological transformation of those on death row—the oscillation between hope and despair, defiance and resignation. These moments are rendered with a chilling realism that forces the reader to confront the human cost of capital punishment.

Equally disturbing is the account of judicial complicity in certain cases. Gupta recounts an incident involving Judge Chandra that raises serious questions about the integrity of the legal process: “Judge Chandra would confer with us before the hearing to discuss what he was going to ask us and what our appropriate answers should be –‘If I say this, then you should say that’. Judge Chandra was under considerable pressure from various quarters. Assistant Commissioner Kochchar used to boast that the judge was chosen so that he would take the prosecution’s side and not bother too much about propriety. ‘We have a long list of complaints against him,’ he once told me, ‘If he doesn’t give the ruling we want, then we will reveal everything.’ Judge Chandra was under a lot of pressure not just because it was a high-profile case.” (P-93). This excerpt is particularly damning, as it exposes the erosion of judicial independence under external pressures.

The book also explores the paradox of reform through the character of Sunil Batra, a prisoner who advocated for inmate rights, including the abolition of solitary confinement. Yet, Gupta reveals that Batra himself was involved in heinous acts, including the sexual exploitation of fellow inmates and extortion. This duality complicates the narrative of reform, suggesting that even those who champion justice may be complicit in injustice.

One of the most controversial claims in the book pertains to the Nirbhaya case. Gupta expresses scepticism about the official version of Ram Singh’s death, suggesting that he may have been killed rather than having committed suicide. While this claim is not substantiated with definitive evidence, it raises important questions about transparency and accountability in high-profile cases.

The presence of superstition within the prison is another intriguing aspect. Gupta notes how certain food items and objects were believed to possess healing or protective powers, reflecting the psychological coping mechanisms of both inmates and staff in an environment marked by uncertainty and fear. The narrative also touches upon the case of Davinder Singh, a police officer accused of torturing Afzal Guru and later arrested in connection with a militant case. This episode underscores the blurred lines between law enforcement and criminality, further complicating the moral landscape of the prison system.

Figures like Anna Hazare and Kiran Bedi also make appearances in the book, offering glimpses into moments of attempted reform. However, Gupta remains largely sceptical of these efforts, suggesting that systemic change is often superficial and short-lived.

Corruption emerges as a central theme, not as an aberration but as an intrinsic feature of the system. Gupta provides a particularly vivid account of this in the following passage: “This may give you an idea of just how entrenched corruption is in our system. I would like to tell you there was poetic justice as the inspector general of prisons did time in Tihar, but that would be misleading. In the nine years that Sharma spent in Tihar, he continued to wield tremendous power and the police swagger did not leave him, despite the fact that he had been stripped off his police medal. In fact, he would speak to all of us as if we were his subordinates. When it came to R.K Sharma, jail rules were either flaunted or totally ignored. His family did not have to seek a formal appointment for a mulaqat and throughout his time behind bars, influential Haryana police officers continued to visit Sharma. His wife would drop in to meet the boss Ajay Aggarwal frequently and then meet her husband in the deputy superintendent’s room. It was as if murdering a woman was a petty crime. Or maybe, the status of the perpetuator always comes before his crime.

I would like to claim that by the time I left Tihar it was cleaner and less corrupt than when I joined. That after 35 years, the jungle raj I had encountered in 1981 was now civilized and that there were measures in place to stop the blatant disregard for prison rules. But I would be lying if I said this. The truth is that things remained the same. My colleagues, save a few notables exceptions, were abettors who when faced with someone unwilling to join them in their misconduct, would try to find ways to negate their work. I watched their modes of operation with both fascination and disgust.” (P-155-156). This passage serves as a powerful summation of the book’s central argument—that corruption is not merely present but deeply embedded, resistant to reform, and perpetuated by a culture of complicity.

Drug abuse within the prison is another significant issue highlighted by Gupta. Despite efforts to curb it, narcotics continue to circulate within the jail, often with the tacit approval or direct involvement of staff. This not only undermines rehabilitation efforts but also fuels violence and exploitation among inmates.

Stylistically, the book is straightforward and unembellished, which adds to its authenticity. Gupta’s voice is candid, at times disarmingly so, and Choudhury’s editorial presence ensures coherence and narrative flow. The use of anecdotal evidence, coupled with institutional critique, makes the book both engaging and informative.

From an academic perspective, Black Warrant offers valuable insights into the sociology of incarceration, the psychology of institutional behaviour, and the political economy of corruption. It can serve as a supplementary text in courses on criminology, sociology, public administration, and human rights. For scholars of Kashmir and conflict studies, the references to figures like Maqbool Bhat and Afzal Guru provide additional layers of contextual relevance.

However, the book is not without its limitations. At times, Gupta’s narratives rely heavily on personal recollection, which may be subject to bias or selective memory. Some claims, particularly those concerning high-profile cases, would benefit from corroboration. Nonetheless, these limitations do not significantly detract from the overall impact of the work.

In conclusion, Black Warrant: Confessions of a Tihar Jailer is a compelling and disturbing exploration of India’s prison system. It challenges readers to reconsider their assumptions about justice, authority, and reform. By revealing the human stories behind institutional facades, it compels us to confront uncomfortable truths about the systems we often take for granted. For educators, researchers, and general readers alike, the book offers a rare and unflinching look into a world that remains largely hidden from public view.

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M.H.A. Sikander is Writer-Activist based in Srinagar, Kashmir.

URL: https://newageislam.com/books-documents/tihar-and-its-contours/d/140522

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