Panel extends parole of 4,000 prisoners by six more weeks

Chandigarh, May 7

Staring at the return of about 4,000 inmates back into Haryana prisons after completing their parole or interim bail, a high-powered committee under Justice Rajiv Sharma of the Punjab and Haryana High Court has enhanced the relief granted to them by six more weeks.

“…readmitting around 4,000 prisoners released on parole or interim bail back into the jails at this stage is a huge risk. It is likely to increase the risk of Covid infection to the existing inmates and will defeat the whole objective of releasing them on parole/interim bail,” said the high-powered committee, which also comprised Home Secretary Vijai Vardhan and DGP (Prisons) K Selvaraj.

The committee has extended the parole period of the convicts for another six weeks from the date of their first surrender. Initially too, the parole was granted for six weeks. Similarly, the duration of interim bail for undertrials has also been extended by six weeks from the date of their surrender. Earlier, they were allowed 45-day interim bail extendable to 60 days.

The committee has also made Covid test mandatory for the prison staff returning to jails after availing leave on emergent grounds. “Such staff should be allowed entry only on the receipt of a negative Covid test report and fitness report from the medical officer of the jail,” said the minutes of meeting of the committee. —TNS