Commission comes to the aid of undertrials

The Karnataka State Minorities Commission is planning to set up a committee of judicial experts to look into cases of financially weak undertrials from minority communities.

Chairperson of the commission Balkhees Banu said she had come up with the initiative after visiting Parappana Agrahara jail in Bengaluru, where many were languishing as they were unable to get legal help or raise resources for the bail amount.

“Nearly 2,017 undertrials of over 4,000 were from minority communities and in penury, with none to pay their bail amount,” she said.

The committee would particularly look into cases where an undertrial has served more than the prescribed term for an offence, she said.

The commission also plans to help children of undertrials by admitting them into minority schools/hostels where free education would be given along with scholarship.

“I have decided to constitute a four-member committee to study the socio-economic condition of the inmates,” Ms. Banu said.