SC sends prisoners back to jail as parole ends
TRIVANDRUM: The Supreme Court (SC) of India on Friday directed the prisoners whom Kerala released on parole due to the surge in COVID-19 cases in prison two years back to be back in jail.
They included the killers of rebel Communist leader TP Chandrasekharan whom the trial court sentenced to life 8 years back.
The slain leader’s wife KK Rema, the legislator from Vadakara, said they were remaining free birds most of the time thanks to the ruling Communist Party of India-marxist (CPI-M).
The top court held that there were no reasons to permit them to continue on parole since the pandemic situation had improved.
“Near normalcy has returned in the country and daily activities remain unabated,” the court said in its judgment directing all the petitioners to report back to prisons within two weeks.
The Kerala government released them ater the SC March 23, 2020, asked the states to take action against overcrowding in prisons dues to the rapid virus spread.
Following this, a high-power commitee recommended the release of convicts sentenced to imprisonment for less than 10 years, on parole.
However, Kerala decided to grant parole to those who had been sentenced to more than 10 years. Lifers sentenced for the brutal murder of the Revolutionary Marxist Party moved the court, Muhammed Shafi, TK Rajeesh and KC Ramachandran, moved the court seeking more time.
The court promised to consider their plea to treat the time they spent outside on parole as part of their jail term later.
The court rejected the argument of the prisoners that there were 28 deaths reported from Kerala on Thursday citing there were no cases if infection in the prisons in the state now.
Currently, more than 1500 prisoners are out on parole and the court asked the state government to prepare a plan to admit them in prisons accordingly.
Rema, who now leads the breakaway party her husband floated ater quiting the CPI-M, accused the ruling party of protecting his killers “financially and in all other manners.”
Two of the convicts - Sunil Kumar alias Kodi Suni and Shafi - were reportedly part of a gold smuggling syndicate the customs busted last year.
Rema says they “know the party would publicly disown them but protect them financially or in any other manner.”
“The criminals sentenced to life term are out most of the time and participate in all party activities. They lead a luxurious life both in the jail and outside.” She said Shafi got married during parole and AN Shamseer, a two-time CPI-M legislator, also went to his home and “blessed the couple” before the lavish wedding.