Coronavirus outbreak: MP plans 120-day emergency leave for prisoners

In a bid to decongest jails in view of vel coronavirus outbreak, Mhya Presh government has decided to provide 120-day 'emergency leave' to prisoners at one go, officials said on Friday.

120-day emergency leave would be included in sentence handed down to prisoners, a state government order said.

In an order issued on Wednesday, MP Jail Department said in case of emergency situations like epidemics and natural calamities or any or circumstance needing prison decongestion, detainees in certain cases would be eligible for emergency leave for a maximum 120 days toger.

Earlier in March, state jail department set a limit of 60-day parole for convicts and 45-day interim bail for undertrials.

This move came after Supreme Court, in March, directed states and union territories to set up committees to consider releasing jail inmates on parole or interim bail in cases where maximum punishment is seven years.

Following SC order, MP government h set up a high-level committee which decided to give relief to 8,000 prisoners in view of virus outbreak.

A senior MP jail official on Friday told PTI that, after decision of high-level committee, some 7,000 prisoners h been released, comprising 4,000 convicts who were released on 60-day parole and 3,000 undertrials on 45-day interim bail.

He said high level committee h recommended increase in release period of se 7,000 inmates by 45 days, which was upheld by MP High Court.

As per data tabled in state Assembly last year, 125 MP jails h 42,057 prisoners against a sanctioned inmate capacity of 28,601.