The Hindu : Front Page : Transfer of political prisoners ordered

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Thursday, Oct 11, 2007
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Transfer of political prisoners ordered

High Court says no direction given to jail panel not to grant parole

DGP (Prisons) M.G.A. Raman appears before court
To explain mistake in superintendent’s statement

Kochi: A Division Bench of the Kerala High Court on Wednesday directed the State government to transfer some of the political prisoners now in Kannur Central Jail to Viyyur Central Prison.

The Bench of Justice J.B. Koshy and Justice K. Padmanabhan Nair issued the direction in the light of the statements made by Director-General of Police (Prisons) M.G.A. Raman before the court. The DGP appeared before the court to explain a mistake that had crept in a statement filed by Kannur Central Jail Superintendent on the release of prisoners on parole. Though the Superintendent had stated that some of the convicts were granted only three to seven days’ leave, the court found that leave had been granted to them for months together. The Superintendent was also present in the court as directed by it.

The DGP told the court that some of the prisoners were brought to the Viyyur prison from the Kannur jail after the death of a convict in the Kannur jail. However, on an order of the then United Democratic Front government headed by Oommen Chandy, these prisoners were sent back to the Kannur jail. He submitted that this had created more problems in the Kannur jail. The DGP submitted that the government had given police officers and jail officials freedom to act as per the law. He said the jail officers were really scared of the prisoners in the jails. The jails did not have any professionally trained jail officials. He said the mistake in the statement filed by the Kannur jail Superintendent was due to a snag in the software of the computer.

He pleaded that the proceedings against the Superintendent be dropped considering his competency and professionalism.

The DGP also requested the court that orders on grant of emergency leave be passed. The court made it clear that it had not directed the Jail Advisory Committee not to grant parole to any prisoner. The court said that parole could be granted by the committee after considering the material including the opinion of the probation officers.

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