New Delhi, March 10 -- The Supreme Court on Monday expanded its scrutiny of the failure to produce undertrial prisoners before trial courts, calling upon all high courts, police and prison chiefs across the country to explain what steps they have taken to ensure that constitutional safeguards for incarcerated persons are not violated.

A bench of justices Ahsanuddin Amanullah and R Mahadevan directed that the directors general of police and the heads of prison departments of all states and Union territories, along with the registrar generals of all high courts, be impleaded as party respondents in the case.

The court also sought specific details from high courts on whether dedicated virtual courts exist for producing undertrial prisoners...