Ajaz Shaikh held in isolation at Cherlapally

Hyderabad:Of the five convicts in the 2013 Dilsukhnagar bomb blast case, only Ajaz Shaikh continues to be held at Cherlapally Central Prison, while the other four have been shifted to Tihar jail. Following the High Court verdict, all five convicts have 30 days to appeal to the Supreme Court.

Ajaz Shaikh, facing multiple serious charges, is currently lodged in a high-security special barrack reserved for inmates linked to terrorism, extremism and Maoist activities. An official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said, “Shaikh is held under strict isolation. He is completely segregated from the general prison population and not allowed to interact with other inmates.”

Initially, all five convicts were lodged in similar special barracks at Cherlapally jail. Later, four of them were transferred to Tihar, while Shaikh remains in Hyderabad under the same heightened security measures. The number of guards and the level of surveillance in the special barracks are far higher than in other sections of the prison,” the officer noted, emphasising that this is necessary to maintain absolute control over high-profile prisoners.

Shaikh’s health is being monitored regularly by the prison’s medical team. Cherlapally jail has four doctors on duty, and in case of a medical emergency or specialised care, inmates are escorted under tight security to Gandhi Hospital or Osmania General Hospital. “These hospital visits are the only time they are allowed outside the prison, and even those are carried out under heavy security,” the official explained.

As the deadline for filing an appeal in the Supreme Court draws near, Shaikh and the other convicts also have the option to petition the President for clemency. However, officials noted that such mercy petitions typically take three to four years to process.