With 31 of 47 convicts released on parole still absconding, the High Court of Karnataka on Monday asked the State and the prisons authorities to secure particulars of convicts’ family members and their properties before releasing them on parole.
Also, the court advised the State government to amend certain provisions in the Government Order of 2004, which was issued under the Rule 191 of Karnataka Prison Rules, to ensure better safeguard while releasing the convicts on parole.
A Division Bench comprising Justice Mohan M. Shantanagoudar and Justice Budihal R.B. issued the directions while hearing a case suo motu initiated by the court on noticing that 47 convicts, who were released from different prisons in the State, were absconding.
The Bench said the authorities concerned shall get particulars of the prisoner; names, addresses and phone numbers of his family members; properties owned by the prisoner or his family members, and antecedents of family members before assessing whether the prisoner could be released on parole or not.
With only 16 of the 47 absconding convicts being secured during the last one year, the Bench felt that if the prisoners failed to turn up on expiry of parole period, then the government should amend the law suitably.
Earlier, Additional Director-General of Police (Prisons) Kamal Pant, who was personally present following an earlier direction of the court, had stated in the affidavit that efforts were on to apprehend the absconding convicts, while pointing out that five were held in that past one month.
Lottery scam
The High Court on Monday rejected that bail plea of lottery scam accused Pari Rajan. Justice L. Narayana Swamy dismissed the petition after the counsel for the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) said that the agency had recently taken over the investigation from the Criminal Investigation Department of Karnataka.
