There is good news for many inmates of the Central Prison at Prapapana Agrahara. They have a fair chance of getting bail as authorities consider measures to decongest prisons following the COVID-19 pandemic.
Following directions by the Supreme Court and the high court, the state government has formed a committee to expedite the bail hearings of undertrials whose offences invite up to seven years' imprisonment.
Alok Mohan, Director General of Police (Prisons), said special bail hearings were underway at central prisons across the state to facilitate the release of all undertrials facing up to seven years' imprisonment.
Convicted prisoners could also be released on parole provided they have a good conduct, Mohan said. "The prison department is working overtime to follow the directions given by the Supreme Court and the high court in the right spirit," he told DH.
With nearly 5,000 undertrials and convicts, the Central Prison at Parappana Agrahara is one of the largest jails in the country. Its actual capacity is 3,128, meaning it's overcrowded by 44%.
Prison authorities are burning the midnight oil to prepare the list of undertrials who fit the bill for release on bail, said another prison department official.
Inmates of the Central Prison at Parappana Agrahara have been making nearly 2,000 face masks to be distributed by various government departments.
203 undertrials get interim bail
Authorities on Wednesday kick-started the process to release on interim bail all undertrials whose offences face up to seven years' imprisonment.
A total of 203 undertrials lodged in jails across the state were given interim bail by district courts.
Mysuru led with the release of 70 undertrials, followed by Bagalkot (23), Davangere (21), Dharwad (21), Mandya (14), Kodagu (11) and Vijayapura (10).
G Basavaraju, a member of the Karnataka Legal Services Authority, stated that the process would continue in the coming days.
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