Bombay High Court seeks details on e-Mulakat and video conferencing facilities in Maharashtra jails

Mumbai: The Bombay High Court has sought details from the Maharashtra government on the facilities of e-Mulakat and video conferencing in jails across the state.

A single bench of Justice Bharati Dangre on August 2 sought statistics of how many accused have been produced before courts via video conferencing from jail and how many have been physically produced in the last six months.

The e-Mulakat facility, which literally means virtual meeting, allows prisoners to make video calls to their families.

The high court had taken suo motu (on its own) cognisance of the issue of non-availability of video conferencing facilities in courtrooms across the state and in jails.

The issue was raised in a bail plea filed by one Tribhuvansing Yadav who had claimed that his application for bail in the lower court was adjourned on 23 occasions as he was not produced before the court physically or via video conference.

The high court had earlier noted that the government should make necessary funds available to ensure that all jails and courts across the state have video conference facilities so that accused persons can be produced in court virtually.

The bench on August 2 took note of a report submitted by the state government highlighting the steps taken for ensuring video conferencing cameras in district courts.

As per the report, as on date 1,406 courts have not been provided with audio/ video interface.

The bench directed the government to submit statistics from the prisons at Thane, Arthur Road jail and Byculla womens' jail in Mumbai, Taloja jail in Navi Mumbai, Adharwadi (Kalyan), Yerwada (Pune), Kolhapur and Nashik as to how many accused have been produced through video conferencing in the last six months and how many physical productions had taken place.

"In addition, there should also be a clarification to what extent the facility of e-Mulakat has been percolated in these jails," the court said.

The bench posted the matter for further hearing on August 14.