Jails in Mysuru and Chamarajanagar have begun releasing some of their inmates to prevent transmission of COVID-19 through overcrowding.
While 55 undertrials and convicts were released from Mysuru jail since the last two days, 18 inmates were released from the prison in Chamarajanagar. The jail inmates had been released on interim bail for a period of two months.
While the undertrials were facing charges that involved a maximum prison term of seven years, the convicts were facing criminal miscellaneous cases of the family court. Most of the convicts released were prisoners who had not paid the maintenance costs ordered by the family courts in divorce cases.
The release comes after a direction was issued by the Supreme Courtand the subsequent formulation of guidelines for the process by a high-level committee constituted by the Karnataka High Court.
The district-level committees constituted for the purpose in both Mysuru and Chamarajanagar comprised the respective Principal District and Sessions Judge, Superintendent of Police, Public Prosecutor and Jail Superintendent, who finalised the list of inmates in the jails and submitted it to the court of Additional District and Sessions Judge in the district.
The prisoners, who were released after the court’s orders, had executed a self-bond of ₹50,000 with an undertaking that they will appear before the jurisdictional court on June 3.
Divyashree, Superintendent of Mysuru Central Jail, which has more than 800 inmates, including about 550 convicts, said the jail officials were in the process of drawing up another list of convicts who were eligible for release on parole.
“We are checking the eligibility of various convicts as per the criteria in the guidelines. After drawing up the list, we will be writing to the respective district Superintendents of Police. After receiving the reports from the police and a sanction from the head office, we will release them”, she said.
Vijay Rodkar, Superintendent of Chamarajanagar jail, said the addresses and the other details of the released prisoners will be available with the jail authorities. If they do not appear before the court on June 3 as specified in the interim bail, proceedings will be taken up according to law, which includes recovery of ₹50,000 as per thebond they had executed, he said.
Meanwhile, jail officials said they had carried out thermal screening of the inmates and no symptoms of COVID-19 had been reported from them.
