The establishment of more videoconferencing facility in prisons would enable the police to scale down considerably their manpower, according to an affidavit filed by the Home Department before the Kerala High Court.
The affidavit said that the proposal mooted now was to establish 160 to 170 videoconferencing studios though the State needed a total number of 238 video conferencing studios.
The affidavit also said that CCTVs had already been installed in six jails in three central prisons and three district jails.
Funds
Besides, Rs.4.39 crores had already been allotted for the installation of CCTV system in all jails in Ernakulam and Thrissur districts, except the Borstal school, Thrikkakkara women’s prison; Viyyur, and jails in Thiruvananthapuram, and jails in Kannur district, except the central prison.
Suo motu case
The affidavit was filed in a case suo motu initiated by the court on the issue of according special privileges to “VIP’ convicts in prisons.
Benefits
The affidavit added that the government could save the money being spent for taking prisoners to courts as well as on policemen’s travel. The possibility of convicts escaping while being transported, trafficking of prohibited articles and drugs into prisons, “media intervention” in the case of high-profile prisoners could be avoided.
Court proceedings
Besides, it would also make court proceeding easy and less time consuming.
The inconvenience faced by public due to the presence of hand cuffed prisoner with uniformed policemen as co-travellers in bus or train could also be avoided, the affidavit stated.
Home Department files affidavit in High Court
Says facility will help police scale down manpower
