Covid-19 parole for 12, 000 prisoners in Madhya Pradesh

BHOPAL: Around 12,000 prisoners could be released on

parole

to decongest jails in

Madhya Pradesh

in an attempt to contain the Covid-19 outbreak. As many 5,000 inmates could walk out by Monday and the rest within a week, sources told TOI. Also, those who were being considered for release on August 15, may get an early walk to freedom, said sources.


A state-level committee, comprising the Madhya Pradesh high court Chief Justice, principal secretary and DG-jails, met after Supreme Court ordered all states and

Union Territories

to set up high-level panels to consider releasing on parole convicts who have been jailed for up to seven years so to decongest jails in the fight against Covid-19.

The SC order was issued on March 23. The state committee has determined which class of prisoners can be released on parole or interim bail.

"Under

emergency

parole rules, the government will provide 60-day maximum parole to eligible convicts. MP Jails have around 45,000 people against a capacity of 29,000," said DG-jails Sanjay Chaudhary.

Men over 65, and women over 50, along with women who are in jail with children or pregnant, would be considered under emergency Covid-release, he said. "Those eligible have been classified in emergency Covid-parole. Around 12,000 people can be released," he added.