Amid Covid-19, 801 prisoners released from 5 Jails
HARISH MONGA
Fazilka, December 9, 2020: Amid Covid-19, the Under Trial Review Committee – UTRC has so far granted bail to 801 detainees in 5-jails - Fazilka Sub Jail and Central Jail Ferozepur, Barnala, Bathinda and Faridkot.
The Supreme Court has ordered all states and Union Territories to set up high-level panels which would consider releasing all convicts who have been jailed for up to seven years on parole to decongest jails in an attempt to contain the Covid-19 outbreak. Besides, directing for prison specific readiness and response plans must be developed in consultation with medical experts.
A meeting of Under Trial Review Committee, chaired by Tarsem Mangla, District and Sessions Judge-cum-Chairperson District Legal Services Authority, Fazilka, was held to discuss about the detainees who have been granted bail but have not been released who can avail the benefits of Section 436-A.
This meeting was also attended by Arvind Pal Singh Sandhu, Deputy Commissioner, Fazilka (via video conference), Ajay Raj Singh, SP (D), Gurpreet Singh Sodhi, Deputy Superintendent, Sub Jail, Fazilka, Raj Pal Rawal, Secretary, District Legal Services Authority-DLSA, Fazilka and Amit Kumar Garg , CJM), Fazilka.
Disclosing this here today Tarsem Mangla, District and Sessions Judge-cum-Chairperson, DLSA said, a weekly meeting is held as per the direction and guidelines of the Supreme Court on Covid-19 epidemic to decide about the applications for interim bail from the inmates of Sub-Jail, Fazilka, Central Jail Ferozepur, Faridkot, Bathinda and Barnala.
He said, Sub-Jail Fazilka has been converted into Covid Centre and now the detainees will be produced through video conferences and not in person in the courts and directions have been given to all the judicial offices of the district.
Rajpal Rawal further informed in all the meetings held, a total of 801 detainees of Fazilka Sub Jail and Central Jail Ferozepur, Barnala, Bathinda and Faridkot have been granted interim bail till date. He also said that in view of the Covid-19 epidemic, the problems of the inmates and prisoners of the jail have been heard through video conferencing and the sub-jail, Fazilka has also been sanitized.