The state government on Thursday sought three months’ time to find convicts who have been absconding after they were released on parole across the state.

State Public Prosecutor P M Nawaz sought time to report the progress on their capture. The state government had released 46 convicts on parole across the state and most of them went absconding.  Of the 46 convicts, 14 have been captured while two were confirmed dead. As many as 26 convicts are absconding.

While hearing a suo motu petition filed by the High Court of Karnataka, a division bench comprising Justice Jayant Patel and Justice N K Sudhindra Rao directed the state police to constitute a team of officers to take steps to trace the convicts.

“The Director General and Inspector General of Police should constitute a team of officers under the supervision of Additional Director General or Inspector General of Police to see that appropriate steps are effectively taken to trace the convicts who are absconding and lodge them in jail.” The bench directed the government to submit the progress report on the matter on August 22.