India, Feb. 11 -- The Supreme Court has summoned the Thane police commissioner and senior prison officials to appear in person and explain why proceedings should not be initiated against them for dereliction of duty and a "casual approach" in matters affecting the life and liberty of an undertrial prisoner.

A bench of justices Ahsanuddin Amanullah and R Mahadevan expressed concern over the fact that the petitioner, Shashikumar, also known as Shahi Chikna Vivekanand Jumrani, was not produced before the trial court on 55 out of 85 dates fixed during the course of the trial.

The bench said this amounted to a grave infringement of constitutional safeguards guaranteed to persons in custody, while also rejecting the Maharashtra government's d...