Around 400 Prisoners Set To Be Released As Per Directions Of High Powered Committee Of Chandigarh UT

The meeting of the High-Powered Committee for UT Chandigarh was held under the Chairmanship of Mr. Justice Jaswant Singh, Judge, Punjab and Haryana High Court, Chandigarh and Executive Chairman, State Legal Services Authority, U.T., Chandigarh and was attended by Shri Arun Kumar Gupta, IAS, Principal Secretary Home Department, U.T., Chandigarh and Shri Ombir Singh, IPS, IG Prisons, UT, Chandigarh and Shri Puneesh Jindia, Member Secretary, SLSA, UT, Chandigarh. The meeting was held as per directions issued by Supreme Court of India on 07.05.2021 in Suo Motu Writ Petition (Civil) No.1/2020- In RE: Contagion of Covid-19. Considering the directions issued by Supreme Court of India dated 07.05.2021 as well as directions issued by Supreme Court of India in Arnesh Kumar Vs. State of Bihar, (2014) SSC 8 273, the Committee resolved as under Regarding release of convicted prisoners the High Powered Committee has directed that 4 categories of Prisoners are to be considered 1. Those convicts who are at present on parole should be granted Special Parole for 90 days. 2. Those convicts who have previously availed Special Parole, as per the orders of High Powered Committee in the year 2020 and surrendered in time, should be granted fresh 90 days Special Parole (as a one time measure only) on the same set of sureties, if the sureties so consented, and without holding fresh inquiry. Further, in case new sureties are required (in case consent not given by the old sureties or otherwise), then, on fresh sureties but should be without holding fresh inquiry in order to attain expeditious release on Special Parole. 3. Those convicts who have previously availed Special Parole, as per the orders of High Powered Committee in the year 2020 and surrendered in time and who are also facing trial in other cases, shall be considered for release on 90 days Special Parole (as a one time measure only) after verification by the office of D.M. concerned, if they are on bail in those pending case(s). 4. Those convicts who have not availed parole or special parole till date and who have now applied for parole or will apply for special parole, then, the District Magistrate concerned is hereby directed to process all (pending as well as new) application liberally and sympathetically, on urgent basis and preferably within 07 days from, and latest within 10 days of, the receipt of the application. The following categories of prisoners shall not be granted Special Parole: The following category of convicts/prisoners, even if they are falling in the above criteria, shall not be released on Special Parole:– (a) The convicts/prisoners who are foreign nationals. (b) The convicts who are confirmed or suspected cases of Covid, or are kept under observation for Covid, or who can cause infection if released, in such cases the Jail Authorities shall follow the latest guidelines of Health Department in this regard. However, in future they may be considered for the benefits of Special Parole on the basis of their medical reports. (c) The convicts who have violated the Parole or special parole conditions and have been re-arrested during last six months. It has been further decided by the High Powered Committee that the period of release under aforesaid directions shall not be counted towards the total period of the sentence of the prisoner/convict. Further, the Jail Superintendent shall obtain declaration from the convict to the effect that he/she shall not claim counting of the period of special parole against the total period of sentence at the time of applying for special parole itself. Number: At present there are 302 Convicted Prisoners in Model Jail Chandigarh as per table given below: PAROLE DETAILS OF TOTAL CONVICTS (302) Convicts who have not availed any parole till date : 103 Convicts who have availed parole from time to time : 164 Convicts who were rearrested after absconding parole : 003 Lodged with pending cases; Bad Conduct; Restricted under Sections : 025 Foreign national and high risk prisoners : 007 Convicted prisoners who are presently on Parole : 017 Of the 302 convicted prisoners an estimated number of 164 + 17 + 45 = 225 i.e. roughly 70% of convicted prisoners will benefit from the said order (70%). Regarding release of undertrial prisoners the High Powered Committee has directed that the following categories of Prisoners are to be considered for 90 days special interim bail, preferably on furnishing personal bond:– (A) The case is triable by Magistrate; and (B) The...

Around 400 Prisoners Set To Be Released As Per Directions Of High Powered Committee Of Chandigarh UT

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