Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SD)
Bengaluru, Apr 16: In view of the coronavirus outbreak Karnataka jail authorities have released 1,112 prisoners on interim bail and parole in order to decongest the prisons. Karnataka director general of police, prison and correctional services Alok Mohan in his statement to PTI said, "Till today we have released 1,112, out of which convicts are 405-who have got parole, and under trials are 707 who have got bail."
A high powered committee was constituted in the state based on the Supreme Court's directive under the chairmanship of a high court judge who is also the chief executive chairman of Karnataka state legal services authority. The committee comprised of DGP prisons and principle home secretary, who is also the in charge of prisons, the director general said.
He added, "The committee formulated certain yardsticks on which to provide interim bail and parole to the prisoners." The director general also said that under trials with offences upto seven year jail term got the bail and as per the eligibility under the Karnataka government rules.
On March 23, the Supreme Court had directed all the states and union territories to constitute high level committees to release prisoners on interim bails or parole and under trials for offences entailing upto seven years in order to decongest the prisons following the fear of coronavirus outbreak.
The DGP said that 350 prisoners were shifted from over crowded prisons to less crowded prisons. On questioned if more prisoners would be getting bail on parole, he said that the process was going on while it will also depend on the willingness of the people.
Nearly 200 prisoners seemed unwilling to go out on parole because of the current situation. Mohan said, "They feel it is safe in prison than to be outside, as prison has a more secure environment." He also said that during the lockdown no family members were allowed to visit and no interviews were permitted in order to safeguard the prisoners from getting infected from the outsiders.