State govt to consider 60-day parole for convicts

PRAYAGRAJ: Except those convicted for serious offences like murder, rape etc, those languishing in jails across the state will be considered for release on 60-day parole on furnishing personal bonds with the undertaking that they shall surrender before the prison authority after the expiry of parole period.

The resolve has been taken by the High-Powered Committee (HPC) in compliance of the directions issued by the Supreme Court in view of coronavirus pandemic. The committee consisted of Acting Chief Justice of Allahabad High Court Sanjay Yadav, Additional Chief Secretary Awanish Kumar Awasthi and Director General (Prison), UP Anand Kumar.

Besides, all male/female inmates above 65 years of age, all female inmates above 50 years or whose siblings are of the age of 6 years or above, pregnant women convict, all male or female inmates suffering from cancer or like serious/critical illness on medical certification shall be entitled to parole for a period of 60 days due to this pandemic.

In its order dated April 30, which came to limelight on Sunday, the HPC directed the Secretary Home, Government of UP to file compliance report as well as the statement of cases with specified reasons to this committee for re-evaluation/reconsideration wherein the state government in its recorded opinion has held that release of prisoners/ inmates is detrimental to public peace, safety and security and interest of administration of justice.

The HCP further directed that undertrial prisoners facing criminal cases in which maximum sentence is seven years and presently confined in jails may be released on interim bail on examination of cases on case-to-case basis for 60 days by the appropriate court on furnishing personal bonds with undertaking written on personal bond itself that he/she shall surrender before the court after expiry of interim bail period.