Trace 21 absconding prisoners released during Covid-19: CP to police stations

A total of 66 inmates were released during Covid from Mumbai City including some on special leave. Some of them reported back to jail after the government order came while 18 on the run were nabbed by Mumbai police and sent back to jails

Mumbai: Police commissioner Vivek Phansalkar has directed all the police stations across the city to trace the prisoners who were released during Covid 19 pandemic on parole or furlough leaves and who have not reported back to the jails.

Mumbai, India - December 02, 2022: Vivek Phansalkar, Mumbai Police Commissioner at CP Office, in Mumbai, India, on Friday, December 02, 2022. (Photo by Anshuman Poyrekar/Hindustan Times) (Anshuman Poyrekar/HT PHOTO)

During the pandemic, the Maharashtra government released scores of undertrials and those convicted in cases where maximum imprisonment was seven years or less to reduce the crowd in the jails across the state. After the state government order, a prisoner’s release programme was implemented and around 15,000 prisoners were released from jails either on interim bail or emergency parole or furlough leaves, said a senior IPS officer.

“I have instructed both the joint commissioners of police who head the law and order and crime branch to undertake special drives to locate these prisoners and send them back to jails,” said Phansalkar.

A total of 66 inmates were released during Covid from Mumbai City including some on special leave. Some of them reported back to jail after the government order came while 18 on the run were nabbed by Mumbai police and sent back to jails.

However, 21 have still not reported back to the prison and police have started searching them, said a senior IPS officer. Senior officers of the Police stations have been asked to inquire with their relatives, if prisoners have changed their addresses, and take legal action and bring them back to jails, added the official.

After the Maharashtra government revoked all restrictions imposed under the Disaster Management Act, 2005 on May 1, 2022, the state home department issued an order regarding temporary parole on May 4, directing all convicted prisoners to return to their respective jails. The home department also clearly directed the prison department to register cases under section 224 (resisting lawful custody) of the Indian Penal Code against those who did not return.

As per the review taken by the prison department last month, around 450 inmates, including 21 from Mumbai, across the state have not reported back to jails and police have registered cases against around 357 of them.