In Republic Day gift, government may free ailing elderly prisoners

PANAJI: Ailing prisoners in Goa may see the light of day on Republic Day as the government is mulling over their release. Ten senior citizens, whose health was deteriorating in the dingy cells of jails are being considered for release following an initiative by the governor of Goa, Mridula Sinha.
A senior home department officer said that Sinha asked the government to assess each case thoroughly before taking any decision on their release. During her recent visit to jails, she had found that few prisoners were badly suffering from ailments and needed to be released. Home department is now making a proposal to the state government seeking its approval for their release.


List will be referred to state sentence panel for approval

Government is in the process of framing the guidelines on prisoners' release. To release any jail inmate, government first needs to frame proper guidelines and then approach the jail superintendent with the list of prisoners to be released.

The list will be referred to the state sentence revival committee for its approval.

Once the approval is granted, the government will ask the probation officer to prepare a home study report by visiting the houses of victims. It will also ask the health department to prepare health reports.

"Once the reports are ready and placed before the government, it will then refer the proposal to a competent court for its say," a home department official said, adding, "the competent court will then review the report before arriving at any decision.'' Once the file is returned by the court, the government will send it to governor for final approval, said the officer. In the past, state government had released prisoners who had completed their sentence, but were languishing in jail.

"This time we are releasing those who are ailing in jails," the officer said.