Coronavirus: 545 prisoners released in Chandigarh

As many as 545 undertrial and convicted prisoners have been released from different jails of Chhattisgarh on interim bail and parole in view of Supreme Court's directions for decongesting prisons due to the coronavirus outbreak, officials said on Friday.

Of the 545 prisoners, 391 undertrials were released on interim bail, while 154 convicts on parole, a government official here said.

They were released till Thursday, but the process of granting bail and parole started on March 23, he said.

Apart from them, 39 prisoners were also released from jails on the completion of their sentences during this period, he said.

Following the Supreme Court's direction, a three member high power committee headed by Chhattisgarh High Court Justice Prashant Kumar Mishra, who is also the Executive Chairman of State Legal Services Authority, was formed to look into the number of inmates who can be granted bail or parole to decongest the jails, Siddharth Aggarwal, Member Secretary State Legal Services Authority, said.

Additional Chief Secretary (home and prison) Subrat Sahoo and Additional Director General (prison) Ashok Junenja are its other members.

So far, the high power committee has held two meetings and based on its recommendations, steps are being taken, Aggarwal said.

(image - PTI)