Plea in HC for temporary release of prisoners to decongest jails during pandemic

“The present total number of inmates as on April 7 is 17,285 as against a total capacity of 10,026 of the three jails.”

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday sought response of the Centre, AAP government, police and prison authority on a plea seeking temporary release on bail or parole of prisoners, involved in non-heinous crimes, from the three jails in the national capital in view of the surge in COVID-19 cases. A bench of Chief Justice D.N. Patel and Justice Jasmeet Singh issued notice to the ministries of Law and Health, Delhi government, police, office of Lt Governor and Director General of Prisons seeking their stand on the petition, by three lawyers and a law student, by May 4. Advocate Ajay Verma, appearing for the petitioners, told the court that recently in Tihar Jail 190 inmates and 304 prison staff tested positive for COVID-19 and the infection has spread across the prison.