E-Paper
Inmates undergoing 7-yr jail in Haryana to be released on parole till August 31
The convicted inmates undergoing seven-year imprisonment will be released on special parole till August 31 due to the second wave of Covid-19 reaching the over-crowed prisons in Haryana
The convicted inmates undergoing seven-year imprisonment will be released on special parole till August 31 due to the second wave of Covid-19 reaching the over-crowed prisons in Haryana.
A high-powered committee, headed by justice Rajan Gupta of the Punjab and Haryana high court, has directed to release all convicts sentenced to imprisonment for more than seven years on special parole till August 31, the state government said in a press release.
The high-powered panel comprising Baldev Raj Mahajan, advocate general; Rajeev Arora, additional chief secretary (ACS, home); Shatrujeet Kapur, director general of prisons; Parmod Goyal, district and sessions judge, took the decision in view of the May 7 directions of the Supreme Court.
“The state and jail authorities have been asked to consider cases of all such convicts/ undertrials for parole/interim bail if covered by categories prescribed by the committee,” an official spokesperson said.
The committee was constituted under the directions of Supreme Court in March 2020 in the wake of Covid-19 pandemic to release convicts/undertrials on parole/interim bail.
According to the prisons department, 21,804 prisoners are presently lodged in 19 jails of Haryana against the authorised capacity of 20,041.
After the first meeting of the committee on March 24, 2020, 2,580 convicts sentenced for more than seven years imprisonment were released on special parole.
And 2,094 convicts, who are sentenced up to seven years or facing trial for offences that attracts maximum seven years imprisonment were released on special parole or interim bail.
Later, with dip in Covid cases, the committee had ordered return of the convicts. The state government said till date 2,170 convicts have surrendered in jails in phases and the ninth phase consisting of 280 convicts will start from May 14.
However, convicts who have failed to surrender on date fixed or are absconding or against whom new case/cases were registered while on special parole will not be entitled to special parole.
Competent authorities have been directed to consider all inmates again for special parole who falls under the categories prescribed by the committee.
In view of surge in Covid-19, the panel has directed to stop physical appearance of undertrials in courts for the time being and produce the accused by way of video conferencing.
The committee has also stopped interviews of inmates with their family members to minimise the risk of Covid infection among prisoners and jail staff.
The jail authorities have been allowed to hold interviews with the family members through video conferencing or other electronic modes in a transparent and structured manner.
About 1,828 (71%) jail inmates aged 45 years or above, of 2,560 and 2,685 (82.2%) jail staff have since been vaccinated.
