Prisoners convicted or facing trial for offences which are punishable up to seven years’ shall be entitled to be released on temporary bail or parole
Maharashtra government has decided to release 50 percent, prisoners across the state in the wake of COVID-19 pandemic. A high powered committee was appointed by the state comprising Bombay High Court Justice A A Sayed, Additional Chief Secretary of state Home department Sanjay Chahande, and Maharashtra Director General Prisons S N Pandey.
Supreme Court in March called for the decongestion of prisons across the country due to the outbreak of coronavirus in the country. As per the information, prisoners convicted under the serious charges under the IPC and special Acts, Maharashtra Control of Organised Crimes Act (MCOCA), Maharashtra Protection of Interest of Depositors (MPID) Act, Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) or Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) will not be released.
The panel has decided that prisoners who are convicted or facing trial for offences which are punishable up to seven years’ shall be entitled to be released on temporary bail or parole. Prisoners not entitled to temporary bail or parole will have to seek regular bail from the concerned courts.
The decision has come after Mumbai’s Arthur Road jail reported few positive cases of coronavirus among the prisoners and jail staffs. Around 17,000 inmates from the jails can be released across the state. The prisoners will be released after their thermal scan and regular check-ups.
With 1230 new COVID-19 cases reported in Maharashtra on Monday, the total number of infected people climbed to 23,401.
