By Our Correspondent
BHUBANESWAR: While complying the orders of Supreme Court and Odisha High Court, State Prisons Department has released as many as 2963 both convicted and Under Trial Prisoners(UTPs) on emergency parole fearing outbreak of COVID-19 in various jails.
DG (Prisons) Santosh Upadhyay said that this decision was implemented in order to reduce overcrowding of the in jails across the State in view of the outbreak of COVID-19.“Its welcome step and it will certainly minimise the economic burden of prisoners,” said senior Advocate Subrata Nanda. However no prisoners were left stranded, said official source.
Sources said 9 were released on parole 09, 2661 on bail while other provision under which prison inmates were released, acquittal of Under Trial Prisoners, Special Remission and Special Furlough, Expiry of Sentences, and interim bails etc are 293. Total prison inmates released pursuant to order of Supreme Court of India are 2963.
“As per the decision of the High Powered Committee, all convict prisoners having no pending under trail cases and sentenced for term of 7 years or less with or without fine should be given expeditious parole as per discretion of competent authority, if the circumstances so demand,” a 9-page Court order said.
The order further said , all convict prisoners sentenced in one case for 7 years or less, with or without fine , and having 1 or more under trail cases, in such cases , the prisoners should have await last one parole peacefully and should be on bail in under trail cases.
“Convicts , who are already on parole or furlough, their special parole may be extended as per the competent authority. The DG(Prisons) shall identify the number of convicts who have already availed one parole or one furlough peacefully and surrendered in time at Jail gate, such convicts may be granted fresh onetime special parole as stated above on the same set of sureties,” the order said.
The order also further said, all convicts above the age of 65 may be granted special parole except those involved in multiple cases or convicted under NDPS Act or convicted under POSCO Act or convicted for rape and sexual offences or convicted for offences of acid attack or those who are foreign nationals. In this category, persons above age group of 70 or above and vulnerable to COVID19 may be considered for special parole by the competent authority.
“With regard to the under trail prisoners , the committee resolve to direct the UT Review Committee in each district to examine the matter of UTPs with cases involving offences for which prescribed punishment is up to 7 years or less, with or without fine for their recommendation to the appropriate court for release of the UTPs on interim bail,” it said.
The Odisha has, sources in State Prisons Department, said, 9 District Jails, 73 Sub-Jails, 1 Women’s Jail, 1 Open Jail and 2 Special Jails, which houses around 15,000 to 20,000 convicted and UTPs. Jails located at Baripada in Mayurbhanj, Berhampur in Ganjam, Choudwar in Cuttack, Koraput and Sambalpur, Jharpada Special Jail in Bhubaneswar and Rourkela always crowded.
The NCRB’s 2017 report said 15,223 inmates were lodged in all 90 jails in Odisha as against their capacity of 18,012. It may be noted here that the then IGP (Prisons) Satyajit Mohanty, had in November, 2019, had written to the Home Department to close18 jails to ensure smooth management and security of other jails.
