Haryana Chief Minister, Manohar Lal Khattar has approved a proposal to extend the duration of special parole or interim bail granted to as many as 4,585 prisoners including 1,459 under trial prisoners and 3126 convicts upto December 31, due to the prevalent Covid-19 situation.
An official spokesman said that the Chief Minister, on the recommendation of the High Powered Committee, headed by Justice Daya Chaudhary, Judge, Punjab and Haryana High Court, Chandigarh and Executive Chairman, Haryana State Legal Services Authority, Panchkula, in its meeting dated November 12, has approved a proposal in this regard.
These prisoners have been granted special parole or interim bail on the directions issued by the Supreme Court of India on March 23, 2020, in Suo Motu Writ Petition (Civil) No. 1/2020- In RE: Contagion of COVID-19 in prisons. However, concerned authorities shall be free to cancel the special parole or interim bail as the case may be, in case any complaint regarding misuse of special parole or interim bail is received against any convict or under trial prisoner.