The prisoners and under-trials are enjoying better-class (B-class) facilities in Burail Model Jail in Chandigarh.
In violation of Punjab Jails Manual, the prisoners including murderers, rapists, kidnappers, fraudsters among others are getting B-class facilities like separately cooked food, more newspapers and magazines, more people visiting them, wearing private dress, among other things.
As per the information received by the RTI activist and senior advocate HC Arora, several hardcore convicts, who are in the Model Jail, under different Sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) including 302, 304-B, 306, 307, 366, 420 among others are getting B-class facilities.
An analysis of the data shows that the convicts and under-trials, who are enjoying B-class facilities in Model Jail include seven prisoners involved in murder (Section 302 IPC), one in dowry killing (304-B), four members of the same family for abetment to suicide 304-B) and thereafter causing disappearance of evidence (201 IPC), one in attempt to murder (307), one in kidnapping for ransom (364-A), one for kidnapping or abducting woman to compel her to marry (366 ), one involved in several cases of cheque dishonor and fraud (Section 138 Negotiable Instruments Act, 1885) and cheating (Section 420 IPC), two others involved in cheating (420), one involved in kidnapping with intent to secretly and wrongfully confining a person (365), one Police official Pankaj Kajal involved in gang rape (376 (2)(G) IPC and one prisoner involved in cruelty to woman (498-A).
The better-class facilities generally include facility to get food cooked separately, or to eat home-cooked food, more newspapers, more number of magazines, to have more visitors; to wear private dress, other then those of ordinary prisoners, exemption from hard-jobs (mushakkat), bedding etc.
It is pertinent to mention here that the non-habitual prisoners of good character, and prisoners who by social status, education and habit of life have been accustomed to a superior mode of life, are eligible for grant of better-class facilities in Haryana Jails.
However, those prisoners, who are convicted for offences involving elements of cruelty, moral degradation or personal greed, those who are convicted for serious or pre-meditated violence, etc are not eligible for grant of better-class facilities in Punjab and Chandigarh Jails under provisions of Para 576-A and Para 576-B of the Punjab Jail Manual.
A perusal of the particulars of offences, for which the 19 prisoners/under-trials are enjoying better-class facilities in Model Jail indicates that ‘murder’ or ‘rape’ is not being treated as ‘acts of serious violence’ or of ‘moral degradation’ by the Jail authorities in Chandigarh.
Even prisoners in cases of cheating or violence against woman, kidnapping, gang rape etc are being extended Class-B facilities in the jail, which are apparently ‘acts of moral degradation’.
The convicts including one Manjeet Singh under Sections 302, 34, 109 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) and 115, 120-B of the IPC, Vijay under Section 307, 302, 34, 120-B of IPC, Prem Singh under Section 364-A, 419, 473 ,471, 342 and 120-B of IPC, Parveen Bhatia under 304-B, 498-A IPC, Ajay Kamboj under 307 IPC, Pankaj Kajal under Section 365, 366, 376, (2)(G), 323, 506, 473 of IPC, Ravinder Singh under 302 IPC and Ravdeep Kaur under Section 302, 34, 109, 115 and 120-B IPC are enjoying B-class facilities here at Model Jail.
Similarly, the under-trials availing B-class status includes Rakesh Verma with FIR number 297, 420 IPC, FIR number 147, 420 IPC, 120-B IPC, FIR number 53505, 138 IPC, FIR number 53503, 138 IPC, FIR no. 53504,138 IPC, FIR number 4934 38 IPC, FIR number 1105522, 138 NI Act, FIR number 0138 NI Act, FIR no. 462 138 NI Act; Rahul under Section 302, 34 IPC; Gurinder Singh under 302, 34 IPC; Sanju @ Sandeep under 307, 302 IPC; Gian Parkash Goyal (FIR number 195) 306 , 201, 34 IPC, Prem lata under 306, 20 1, 34 IPC; Vishal Goyal — s/o Gian Parkash Goyal (-do- 306, 201, 34 IPC; Vikas Goyal — s/o Gian Parkash Goyal (do) 306, 201, 34 IPC; Dinesh Chandra Mishra 420, 120-B IPC; Dharamvir Sharma 420, 120-B IPC and Gurmeet Singh under Section 302 IPC.