Mobile legal aid clinic set up for prisoners in Thane Central Jail

The initiative addresses a critical need in the overcrowded prison system, where traditional interview methods often lead to significant delays for inmates seeking to connect with their families and legal counsels

Published - October 08, 2024 11:33 am IST - Thane

A view of the Thane Central Jail.

A view of the Thane Central Jail. | Photo Credit: Vaibhav Birwatkar

A mobile legal aid clinic has been launched for prisoners at the Thane Central Jail in Maharashtra to allow them to communicate with their families and legal representatives more effectively via an e-interview system, officials said on Tuesday (October 8, 2024).

The facility, to operate through a vehicle and set up by the District Legal Services Authority (DLSA) in collaboration with social organisation 'Dard Se Humdard Tak', was inaugurated on Monday (October 7).

The initiative addresses a critical need in the overcrowded prison system, where traditional interview methods often lead to significant delays for inmates seeking to connect with their families and legal counsels, the DLSA said in a release.

Also Read: Thane central prison grossly overcrowded: ADGP tells HC

Despite the potential benefits of this new system, many prisoners and their families, particularly those who are illiterate or unfamiliar with technology, face challenges in accessing e-interview services, it said.

The mobile legal aid clinic aims to bridge this gap by providing guidance and support to both prisoners and their relatives, it said.

Chief Judicial Magistrate S.K. Fokmare emphasised the importance of the initiative in enhancing the rights of prisoners and ensuring that they can maintain vital connections with their families during incarceration.

Legal experts from the social organisation will be available at the clinic two days a week, from 9.30 am to 12.30 pm, offering free legal services and assistance to those in need.

Apart from him, DLSA secretary Ishwar Suryawanshi and jail superintendent Rani Bhosale were among those present at the facility's launch.

0 / 0
Sign in to unlock member-only benefits!
  • Access 10 free stories every month
  • Save stories to read later
  • Access to comment on every story
  • Sign-up/manage your newsletter subscriptions with a single click
  • Get notified by email for early access to discounts & offers on our products
Sign in

Comments

Comments have to be in English, and in full sentences. They cannot be abusive or personal. Please abide by our community guidelines for posting your comments.

We have migrated to a new commenting platform. If you are already a registered user of The Hindu and logged in, you may continue to engage with our articles. If you do not have an account please register and login to post comments. Users can access their older comments by logging into their accounts on Vuukle.