3rd Meeting for release of Prisoners on bail
Imphal, April 24th 2020
3rd Meeting for release of Prisoners on bail
In pursuance of the direction of the Hon’ble Supreme Court, the High Powered Committee so constituted to oversee the release of prisoners on bail/ parole as a measure to avoid congestion/ overcrowding in jails in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic have held its meetings on 31.03.2020 and 09.04.2020 respectively.
In the second meeting, a total of 69 UTPs have been recommended for release on interim bail and 4 convicts on parole. However, in the wake of the changing circumstances and also as requested by the Home Department, the third meeting of the High Powered Committee was held on 24th April 2020 at 2.00 pm, at the office of the MASLSA, ADR Building, Lamphel Court Complex, with His Lordship Hon’ble Mr. Justice Kh. Nobin Singh, Executive Chairman, Manipur State Legal Services Authority in the chair.
Shri P. Doungel, Additional Director General of Police (Prisons), Manipur; Smt. Golmei Gaiphulshillu, Member Secretary, MASLSA; K. Radhashyam Singh, Special Secretary (Home), Govt of Manipur; Shri Ojesh Mutum, Addl. Member Secretary, MASLSA; Dr. Th. Charanjeet Singh, Deputy Secretary (Home), Govt. of Manipur; Sorokhaibam Sadananda, Deputy Member Secretary, MASLSA attended the said Meeting.
The meeting of the High Powered Committee is being reconvened at the request of the state government in order to reconsider the determination of the release of the prisoners on bail/ parole as the case may be.
The Committee discussed about the action taken report of the release of prisoners as recommended in the 2nd meeting of the HPC. It was stated that some of the prisoners are not willing to go on interim parole/ interim bail for personal reasons from the recommended list.
The remaining of the recommended prisoners have however been released. The members also discussed in detail about those situations where institutional quarantine has been recommended by the hospitals for the prisoners remanded to judicial custody.
The ADGP (Prisons) then placed before the High Powered Committee, the details as to the additional list of prisoners who can be released as a preventive measure to contain the spread of the pandemic COVID-19.
In addition to that, the Member Secretary, Manipur State Legal Services Authority also placed before the Committee, an additional list of prisoners (UTPs) who can be released on interim bail. Accordingly, the two proposed lists have been examined and sorted out.
3rd Meeting for release of Prisoners on bail
After detailed deliberations, the members of the Committee unanimously resolved the following-
(1) It has been resolved by the Committee that out of the list of prisoners as proposed by both the State Government and the Manipur State Legal Services Authority, a total of 108 UTPs are recommended for being considered for release on bail on PR bonds by the concerned court/ magistrate for an interim period of 3 months subject to such other conditions as may be imposed by them.
(2) It has also been resolved by the Committee that if some out of the above named prisoners are lying in jail, due to the non-furnishing of surety bonds only, they may be so released on their personal bonds.
(3) It has also been clarified that the existing facilities available in the jails do not have the necessary infrastructure to function as quarantine/ isolation wings. They are merely functioning as observation/ segregation wings.
Hence, it is resolved that the State Government shall take immediate steps to designate certain places as quarantine prisons, as was resolved in the 1st Meeting. The urgency to declare such quarantine prisons should be emphasized in the prevailing situation, so as to avoid any unforeseeable/ unfortunate incidents.
(4) It has also been resolved by the Committee that as public curfew has been announced all over Manipur, the State Home Department in co-ordination with the Jail Authorities shall make the necessary arrangements for conveyance of the released prisoners to their residences.
For removing any doubts, it is still clarified that -
(a) Under no circumstances, a prisoner is to be released without proper medical screening and tests, and if the prisoner to be released shows symptoms typical of flu, fever etc., he/ she has to be kept in quarantine instead.
(b) Under no circumstance, a prisoner is to be released without his consent.
(Sorokhaibam Sadananda)
Deputy Member Secretary,
Manipur State Legal Services Authority
(ADR Building, Lamphel Court Complex, Imphal West - 795004)
* This Press Release was sent to e-pao.net by Manipur State Legal Services Authority who can be contacted at maslsa(DOT)imphal(AT)gmail(DOT)com
This Press Release was posted on 25 April 2020
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