Over 350 languishing in Tihar jail despite bail
NEW DELHI : Over 350 prisoners in the country’s most populated prison, Tihar, are languishing in jail despite getting bail because they do not have the surety — a person, who appears before the court and promises to monitor the activities of the person out on bail and pays a bail bond in the form of bank deposit.
Jail officials said most of these prisoners are those who do not have families or a person to stand as a surety willing to pay the money. Some, who have relatives, could not come out because their kin do not have money to pay the bail bond.
The 350 prisoners were recently identified in a survey across different jails i n t he prison. Once all such prisoners were identified, a meeting was held at the prison headquarters, where the offices of senior prison officials are located. During the meeting, all jail superintendents were directed to help such prisoners get in touch with their families.
A jail spokesperson said the prison officers have taken up the issues with the Delhi Legal Servi- ces Authority (DLSA). The DLSA is a body under the state government set up to help underprivileged prisoners get free and competent legal service.
“The DLSA is helping us ensure that there is a surety for such prisoners. In many cases, where the conduct of a prisoner is good, our jail officers are also standing in as surety,” said the spokesperson, adding that they would use money from the prisoner’s welfare fund to pay bail bond and surety money.
In December last year, the Delhi High Court, while hearing a petition on the prisoners languishing in jail despite getting bail, ordered trial courts to be sensitive and vigilant about such cases. The High court also ordered magistrates visiting the prison to take details of such prisoners and inform the trial judges who are dealing with their cases. There are around 15,000 prisoners in Tihar central jail.