The 75th Independence Day in India and in Palamu has brought an outbreak of hope for undertrial prisoners. The under trial review committee has shortlisted 160 undertrial prisoners here who may find themselves released from their respective courts here, said the secretary of the district legal services authority Arpit Shrivastava.
The campaign for release of the undertrial prisoners has a cut off date this July 22 which means all such under trial prisoners who walked in the central jail here just on this July 22 stand a chance of release under the order of the respective courts.
Arpit Shrivastava clearing the conception said, "This is a release from the prison and not any acquittal. It is a bail. The under trial prisoners who get released by their respective courts are most liable to follow the conditions of their release and not to indulge in any act or doing that may jeopardise their release."
Sources said out of 799 under trial prisoners here, 198 were identified for the eligibility for the release and when the undertrial review committee sat and discussed it shortlisted 160 undertrial prisoners from the lot of 198 identified undertrial prisoners.
The undertrial review committee is a high powered committee headed by the principal district and sessions judge while DC, SP, Jail Superintendent, Public Prosecutor and Secretary of the district legal services authority are its august members.
Arpit Shrivastava made one thing more clear when he said the undertrial review committee is not empowered to release the undertrial prisoners as it is a strong body only to recommend for the release of the under trial and the fate and question of release of the under trial prisoners solely rests with the courts where their cases are.
There is a category of the undertrial prisoners as to who will avail of release from the prison or who will not depending upon the severity of the offence.
If there is any under trial prisoner facing murder or rape charge etc, this 75th Independence Day will not mean much to him in respect of his release from the prison.
However sick, infirm, mentally unsound, women offender, first time offender in the age group of 19 to 21, under trial prisoner detained under section 151 of the CrPC, under trial prisoners above 65 years of age, under trial prisoners accused of compoundable cases, under trial prisoners under section 436 of the CrPC,under trial prisoners for offences which carry a maximum punishment of 2 years etc stand hope and chance to walk in the open.
Sources said civil courts in Daltonganj are working the hardest to extend this release from the prison benefit to its eligible under trial prisoners. This very release is to happen before August 15 as till a few days ago 36 under trial prisoners were released and a contingent of 10 more under trial prisoners is right on the threshold of the release from the prison.
The outbreak of hope is equally available to the remaining 114 under trial prisoners following the release of 36 and 10 under trials.
Shrivastava said we will achieve our target of releasing 160 under trial prisoners here on this Independence Day.